Spatha, cAD300

[Sextus Saturninus]

Yes, I know. I was trying to explain to Evan that the Germans did not use the Falcata, but did use a sword that looked remotely like the falcate ( the grip ). The difference is great, and now that I own a Kopis, I can see the difference even better.

[Robert]

There is a (significant) difference in shape between the Kopis and the Falcata, the Kopis being a Greek sword with far less curvature then the falcata, which is mainly Italian and Iberian. The Falcata is well known in a Iberian context and has been extensively documented. The Kopis has a different handle and does not wrap around the hand as far as the falcata does. It seems the guard is more spikelike.

[Nathan Ross]

I've been trying to find depictions of swords (or hilts, anyway) on near-period tombstones to see if they provide any clues. There are only a few, and several seem to show eagle-hilted spathae. Of the others:

[attachment=11212]lepontius.jpg[/attachment]

Lepontius from Strasbourg (around mid 4th century?) is sporting a very un-Roman looking hilt. Looks to me a little like those 'Germanic' styles, perhaps, or Patrick Barta's 'Podlodaw'. The scabbard has a very prominent square end too.

(he also seems to be wearing a padded or quilted long-sleeved garment... :errr: )

Sudlecentius, meanwhile, of XI Claudia from Aquiliea (end of the third century?) is carrying something equally unusual:

[attachment=11213]sudlecentius.jpg[/attachment]

No sign here of the characteristic loped pommel of the Koln spatha, and earlier Roman swords.

[Crispianus]

Nathon Ross wrote Are you referring to this one?

Yes...

Would this sort of sword fall into the wider group represented by the 3rd C Patrick Barta swords

I don't think so it seems to be a bit later but still 3rd.... the last sword blade seems to be an earlier type with a later grip, the original had a broken and repaired tang...

[Flavivs Aetivs]

It looks like a Standard Roman hilt that was just carved awkwardly.

Actually, look at the lines of the stone: he appears to be wearing a cuirass with a padded thorocomachus underneath. If I had to guess, it looks like either some weird representation of Scale or possibly Lamellar.

[Sextus Saturninus]

From being dated to around 350, I agree that the sword looks like a poorly carved or heavily worn roman spatha hilt. The Germanic styles were integrated into the Roman army heavily after 407, when the barbarians crossed the Rhine and Danube.

[markusaurelius]

It looks like a Standard Roman hilt that was just carved awkwardly.

Could just be a hilt like the one on the Feltwell sword (or the other two examples) which comes to somewhat of a point on the sides giving it a look similar to the carving.
[attachment=11214]Handletypes.png[/attachment]

[Sextus Saturninus]

Yes, it could very well have been of this type. The relief does not look in the best condition, and if it was better, maybe we could tell which type of spatha was being depicted on the soldier.

[Dan D'Silva]

The Germanic styles were integrated into the Roman army heavily after 407, when the barbarians crossed the Rhine and Danube.

Jason, by "Germanic styles" do you mean the wide guard and pommel?

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Think the Feltwell posted above. This was not necessarily a Germanic style, but we do begin to see Germanic period equipment and blades showing up in Rhine Garrison fortresses (Drinkwater argues that this is because Aetius drew on the Alemanni for Military Manpower).

[Sextus Saturninus]

Dan,
Yes, when I call a spatha Germanic, I mean the style with very wide hilt and pommel.

[Arahne]

End of III century, Durostorum.
https://www.academia.edu/895572/The_Seco..._abstract_

[Flavivs Aetivs]

The second image is end of 3rd century, but the first image is late fourth or early 5th century. I have the article on it at home, I will post it later.

[M. Val. Naso]

MMFA: actually, it is from Durostorum, the article about that clearly states early 4th c. as well, and it would be hard to imagine a disk chape at the turn of 4th and 5th centuries.

[Arahne]

I had problem today with academia so I could not access another article
https://www.academia.edu/392952/The_encr...Durostorum
All of these, two swords, baldric, golden fibula, coin of Probus, parts of chariot, belong to one burial, so ......