Need ideas for a mid to late fourth century CE spatha hilt

[Firmus4474]

Any help would be most helpful .

[Salvianus]

The diptychs of Stilicho and Probus are easy to Google and are bang on date.

Hope that's helpful

[Firmus4474]

Yes very helpful, I had never seen the Probus diptych. Looks like a Type I hilt with a strange little round pommel cap. Scabbard is interesting as well.

[Salvianus]

I don't know the typology well enough to say if they still qualify as Type I with those pommels, but my own spatha is a currently completely plain Type I design in wood, all furniture by Stephen Atkinson - take a look at our fabrica page for details:

[Firmus4474]

That's a nice one, the one from the Probus diptych reminds me of the spatha from Krefeld-Gellep grave 43 with a different type of scabbard.
It's dated about 75 years latter than the period I'm looking at and, no round pommel cap.

I don't suppose though that it's to much of a streatch that the sword type may have stayed in use and, scabbard style changed over time.

[Theodosius the Great]

And the two diptychs of Honorius with different pommels and hilts.



~Theo

[Salvianus]

gratias tibi ago Theo

I'd definitely focus on the left hand example: I haven't really looked at the old 'duck handle', sorry, 'eagle-head' parazonia swords - but I suspect they were more exclusive.

pax vobiscum mi frater

[Theodosius the Great]

You're welcome, Salvianus.

About the 'duck handle' :lol: : I should point out that we know they were used by officers as far down as Centurions. There are two or more stele examples shown in Bishop and Coulston that confirm this. So, it would seem eagle pommels were not solely used for a parazonium. But, yes, they do seem to be more exclusive.

~Theo

[Salvianus]

Cheers Theo,

sounds like they would make a rather splendid addition for the Late officer who has everything (else). If only I knew one :wink:

I should confess - these rather beautiful Late swords have been ruined somewhat for me by this picture I find lodged in my mind of some cartoon character with a duck handle umbrella which quacks or possibly talks (?). One day they tell me I might grow up :roll:

a mihi sed noli modo

[Chuck Russell]

here's mine, but it's based a lot off of Salvianus's model hehehe

pics are clicky for larger versions