Semispathae

[The Alexandrian]

Pray forgive my ignorance, but what is the exact definition of a semispatha (besides being, apparently, a shorter form of the spatha)? And, as a shorter infantry sword, what features differentiate it from the gladius used in the preceding centuries?

Jon

[jvrjenivs]

As far as I know we don't have any finds we can definitely identify as semispathae, but there are finds that possible resemble the weapon.

All we know is a reference by Vegetius in his Epitoma Rei Militaris (II.15), where he arms his soldiers with

large swords called spathae, and other smaller swords called semispathia

Unless the recent research by Miks have shown up new evidence I'm not aware of, I think this might be all we know about that weapon.

[Ordovices]

Could Semispathe be a reference to what we call the regular gladius short sword? They did not use our modern terminology .

[jvrjenivs]

As I said, the only reference to the Semispatha is in Vegetius, who wrote his military matters in about AD 390, so to me it seems like it is a 'late Roman' name, as I don't know it from earlier sources. So yes, it may be a late Roman gladius, but I would not call a 1st century short sword (usually reffered to as gladius) a semispatha.

[Robert Vermaat]

the only reference to the Semispatha is in Vegetius.

Indeed, and if I'm right, just once: Veg. Mil. II, 15.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Possibly due to the new found christian ethics and modesty...they found the term Gladius a bit offensive?

[garrelt]

Looking in the books of Miks he has a chapter in the Typology section about de difference between a Gladius-blade or a Dagger-blade.
IV.3.4. Gladius- UND/ODER DOLCHKLINGEN
IV.3.4.a Dolche bis Kurzschwerter vom "triangularen"-Typ
IV.3.4.b Dolche bis Kurzschwerter in "schwertanhlicher"-Typ
Page 75 of the Text part.

In The catalog part Plate-47,Plate-48, Plate-52, Plate-53, etc.
There are drawings of smaller versions of a Gladius and,or Spatha.
They look the same as a Gladius or Spatha but have a blade length of 32,38,37 cm etc.
Most have a double edge but some have a single edge.
This could be the shorter versions as being referred to as a Semi-Spatha.
These look like a Gladius or Spatha but the shortest blades have almost the same lenght as the longest Pugio blade.
That is why the question is: is it a Gladius or a Dagger.

Could a semi-spatha be a shorter version of a "normal" spatha.
I think yes.
How it looked like and what its dimensions were??????????
It also could be a single edged blade with a length of about 30 to 40 cm.
If I'm correct Vegetius wrights about the armament of the Byzantines.
So in the Western Roman empire the shorter version, with a single edge, could be called a Saex.
What would be the name then for a short double edged blade: Semi-Gladius ?
Did Vegetius use Western or Byzantine terminology?

If you read Late Medieval "Fechtbucher' like the Royal Armouries Ms. I.33 a double edged sword is still being called a Gladius.

[Robert Vermaat]

Hi Garrelt,

If I'm correct Vegetius writes about the armament of the Byzantines.
So in the Western Roman empire the shorter version, with a single edge, could be called a Saex.

No, he writes about the Late Roman army in the later 4th century. Not a Byzantine in sight. :wink:

[garrelt]

No problem Robert.

I haven't finished reading Vegetius yet.
Working through the Miks books a I write.

[Urselius]

For the Romans the primary meaning of gladius was "sword." We project upon them our modern typologies at our peril.

As Vegetius didn't define what he meant by the term "semispatha" we have no real idea of what he was describing. Having said that there are archaeological examples of shortswords from the 4th and 5th centuries that could be semispathae.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

For the Romans the primary meaning of gladius was "sword." We project upon them our modern typologies at our peril.

As Vegetius didn't define what he meant by the term "semispatha" we have no real idea of what he was describing. Having said that there are archaeological examples of shortswords from the 4th and 5th centuries that could be semispathae.

I was under the impression the semi-spatha was between the spatha and gladius in length, possibly pattern welded,
parellel edges, curved tapering point! :o I guess thats what happens when you have too much faith in what you see and read in print.

I was also under the impression that gladius was also the name for penis, and the scabbard was called a Vagina for the same and obvious reason. I did not know these were modern conventions.

[garrelt]

In the Text part of Miks book on page 20-21-22 there are some charts with blade lengths and dating.
No scanner available at this moment sorry.
Below is a part of these charts with the main focus of blades which are not longer then 500mm.

Chart 1 is about Number of Blades compared to their length.
12 blades with a length between 000 to 300mm
8 blades with a length between 301 to 325 mm
7 blades with a length between 326 to 350 mm
10 blades with a length between 351 to 375mm
14 blades with a length between 375 to 400mm
total 51 blades

22 blades with a length between 401 and 425 mm
18 blades with a length between 426 and 450 mm
29 blades with a length between 451 and 475 mm
58 blades with a length between 476 and 500 mm
total 127 blades

Chart 2 is about Number of blades which could be dated
000 to 400 mm
1st century BC ->1
1st half 1st century AD ->2
2nd half 1st century AD ->2
1st half 2nd century AD ->1
2nd half 1st century AD ->4 (possibly 2 shortend)
1st half 3rd century AD ->4 (possibly shortend)
2nd half 3rd century AD ->14 (possibly 2 shortend)
23 blades not dated

400 to 500mm
1st century BC ->3
1st half 1st century AD ->17
2nd half 1st century AD ->19
1st half 2nd century AD ->18
2nd half 1st century AD ->16
53 blades not dated

[Urselius]

I was under the impression the semi-spatha was between the spatha and gladius in length, possibly pattern welded,
parellel edges, curved tapering point! :o I guess thats what happens when you have too much faith in what you see and read in print.

I was also under the impression that gladius was also the name for penis, and the scabbard was called a Vagina for the same and obvious reason. I did not know these were modern conventions.

Well, you have described a fair proportion of the 4-5th century shortswords that have been unearthed. Though there are others with very acute almost triangular blades (a bit like cinquedas). Are any or all these semispathae? we really have no idea.

Phallus was the specific word for penis (penis - lit. "tail" was also used, as were many other terms). Glans, which now has a meaning for a part of the penis meant "acorn" in Latin. I don't think gladius had a primary meaning of penis in Latin, any more than the English words pork and sword (as in "pork-sword") have primary meanings other than "pig-meat" and "long sharp pointy thing used in combat."

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Yet you hear it quoted to the public allllll the time at reenactor events....no fingers pointed mind you.

And there arre those who will tell you the short pointy one is what is refered to as the semispatha.
I'm not convinced though myself.

[Urselius]

Can you imagine all those Women's Institute lady flower arrangers placing gladioli - if this meant "little penises" rather than "little swords" - in vases?

What would the world be coming to?