02-18-2021, 11:31 PM
(02-17-2021, 01:56 AM)Michael J. Taylor Wrote: Prior to that, there is good evidence that Romans were using Greek style swords, as a xiphos appears on a Roman bronze currency bar (c. 250 BC). But there is also evidence that the Romans from the 4th century BC onwards were using La Tene style short swords, including one from San Vittore di Lazio with an inscription that proclaims it was "made in Rome."
As Michael notes, the Romans were using Gallic-inspired swords prior to the adoption of the gladius Hispaniensis. See my article
'Gladius Gallicus' for a short introduction in English. See here for more detail on the intriguing Spada di San Vittore, and here for an excellent survey of swords in the 4th and 3rd cents BC.
