02-15-2013, 04:41 PM
Same ambiguety in the Muslim world, where a khanjar/dashna could mean both a short knife or dagger, and something rather larger and heavier, capable of lopping off someone's arm, and used while fighting on foot. In fact, 10-11th century Byzantine and Muslim depictions of infantry show both stabbing swords and slashing swords, but much more elegant than the gladius and saex, more like a medieval poniard and a large butcher's knife respectively.