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I know right? Anyways I have read that Roman cavalry in the Late Antiquity period wore their scabbards on their right hand side, meaning they fought left-handed. Considering I'm a lefty I think it would be interesting to test what they could have done reasonably. That also means I get to use javelins, swords, spears, and shields from the back of a horse. Hurray! I don't think I'll go for extreme terrain accuracy at the moment, I'll just see what manouvers seem reasonable and would work against spear armed, and foot-slogging Saxons. That means I'll have to work against the shield wall, somehow. Javelins, I think, will be easy to use, but the closer range weapons will be a real challenge. I'll report back with my findings.
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Invite us to the funeral. :lol: If you're charging a shield wall alone on horseback, it will be a short battle.
Why would wearing the sword on the right side mandate fighting left handed? Sure it's easier to draw cross-handed but I was under the impression that was done as a means of keeping the scabbard-ed sword from fouling on the shield.
Elsewhere I've read that one tactic against shield walls is what I'd call a flanking attack: cavalry in column formation swing around the end of the wall, assumedly while infantry attack or at least keep the shield wall facing themselves. I thought I read that here on RAT, but I forget the reference. Can anyone help me? :?
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Quote:Anyways I have read that Roman cavalry in the Late Antiquity period wore their scabbards on their right hand side, meaning they fought left-handed. Considering I'm a lefty I think it would be interesting to test what they could have done reasonably. That also means I get to use javelins, swords, spears, and shields from the back of a horse. Hurray! I don't think I'll go for extreme terrain accuracy at the moment, I'll just see what manouvers seem reasonable and would work against spear armed, and foot-slogging Saxons. That means I'll have to work against the shield wall, somehow. Javelins, I think, will be easy to use, but the closer range weapons will be a real challenge. I'll report back with my findings.
I hope all goes well! But I do believe the late Roman cavalry wore their swords on the left side, thus swinging it with their right hand. Earlier units of auxilliaries also did likewise (according to Josephus... or Maria :lol: )
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I don't know about exactly which side the sword was on for Romans. If we are talking about a "gladius" on the right side isn't it possible to draw with the right hand? This would be much harder to do with a "spatha" of course but I have done so with a "katana" though the curved blade helps. The length of the "gladius" permits an easier draw and could have been worn on the right side and used with the right hand.
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Here we go. :roll:
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Swords worn on the right were drawn with the right hand, and wielded right-handed. What's hard about this? If you find it difficult to do (or imagine), you're probably doing something wrong.
Even Celtic long swords were worn on the right. It's not exactly a quick draw, but it doesn't have to be. You can get your blade out half an hour before the battle starts.
Valete,
Matthew
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Quote:Swords worn on the right were drawn with the right hand, and wielded right-handed. What's hard about this? If you find it difficult to do (or imagine), you're probably doing something wrong.
Even Celtic long swords were worn on the right. It's not exactly a quick draw, but it doesn't have to be. You can get your blade out half an hour before the battle starts.
Valete,
Matthew
That is very true! I am always in the mind set of self defense and have to remember pitched battle is a little more planned. :wink:
I would think that the shield was primarily used in the left hand and the sword or spear in the right. As far as cavalry goes the "spatha" would be worn on the left for the "crossed draw" and the smaller shield isn't as much of a hindrance. I wouldn't want the scabbard to be bouncing around on the right side while on horseback.  hock: I am sure someone has first hand knowledge of the pro's and con's of this and would love to hear their input.
Craig Bellofatto
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Quote:That is very true! I am always in the mind set of self defense and have to remember pitched battle is a little more planned.
Exactly. I think we would *all* be amazed at how different a full-scale battle is from what we imagine!
Quote:I would think that the shield was primarily used in the left hand and the sword or spear in the right.
Right. There *were* exceptions, but they were very rare.
Quote:As far as cavalry goes the "spatha" would be worn on the left for the "crossed draw" and the smaller shield isn't as much of a hindrance. I wouldn't want the scabbard to be bouncing around on the right side while on horseback.
Well, it seems the ancients don't agree with you! Because they often wore their swords on the right, and it doesn't seem to have bothered them. Why would it "bounce around" less on the left, anyway? And the shield really isn't significantly smaller (same size as the auxiliary infantry, in any case!). Google around for images or movies of Roman cavalry reenactors, in fact there are a couple with the Ermine Street Guard in the UK, and you'll see their swords on the right.
Matthew
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This subject has already been talked to death, so I'll only point out that the right-hand carry works well in close formation because the sword is drawn almost straight upward, keeping the shield in place and the sword arm close to the body. And it's quite easy and can be done faster than with a reach-across-the-body draw.
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Quote:Astiryu1:1njor1vn Wrote:That is very true! I am always in the mind set of self defense and have to remember pitched battle is a little more planned.
Exactly. I think we would *all* be amazed at how different a full-scale battle is from what we imagine! Ah, gentlemen, but remember that you first have to throw your missiles (and break your spear) before you draw your sword. :wink:
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It is attested that there were left-handed gladiators, e.g. marked on inscriptions with scaeva. E.g. Emperor Commodus fought as a left-handed secutor.
But I was always wondering if those legionaries when forming a testudo standing on the right side to carry the scutum in the right hand, so the testudo is covered with shield on all sides (except for the back). Would it be not appropriate to have south-paws standing on that side in case the testudo breaks up and they need to fight in single combat?
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Quote:But I was always wondering if those legionaries when forming a testudo standing on the right side to carry the scutum in the right hand, so the testudo is covered with shield on all sides (except for the back). Would it be not appropriate to have south-paws standing on that side in case the testudo breaks up and they need to fight in single combat?
Now that is an Idea!!! I would hope that it wouldn't have to come down to left or right handed.That would be a mess to arrange in battle conditions;but possible. Being ambidextrous would help in this scenario. Training vice-versa would come in "handy". :wink:
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Just a guess, maybe the first cohort was made up of half lefthanded milites, with the scutum in their right hand. They covered the right flank (just guessing :? )
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What kind of skeletal remains are there for cross-examination between lefties and righties? I would imagine that the dominant arm would be at least slightly bigger. The lead leg might have more injuries as well.
Craig Bellofatto
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Quote:Ah, gentlemen, but remember that you first have to throw your missiles (and break your spear) before you draw your sword. :wink:
Sorry, yes, very true for most Romans, infantry or cavalry. I was thinking of Celtic swordsmen--I'm not certain if all of them carried spears or javelins, though now I'm not sure why I have that impression!
Quote:Just a guess, maybe the first cohort was made up of half lefthanded milites, with the scutum in their right hand. They covered the right flank (just guessing :? )
Um, not to sound nasty, but please let's not pile more wild baseless guesses on wild baseless guesses! Rather than list a dozen reasons why this is not practical and contrary to what we know, I'll just recommend sticking to historical evidence. (Sorry, got this thumping headache right now...)
Quote:What kind of skeletal remains are there for cross-examination between lefties and righties? I would imagine that the dominant arm would be at least slightly bigger. The lead leg might have more injuries as well.
While I believe it may be possible to distinguish handedness from skeletal remains, unfortunately there are only a couple Roman soldier skeletons known from the early Empire! Herculaneum and Velsen, off the top of my (aching) head. Cremation took care of most of the rest.
Valete,
Matthew
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