08-31-2015, 12:19 AM
Unfortunately, we do not know how the straps / bands around Minucius Lorianus' uniquely horizontal pugio should be interpreted. All we can say with any certainty is that the pugio is suspended horizontally somehow. The most likely way is by using the two suspension rings on one side, but that is supposition and it is worth noting that on surviving sheaths of the first century AD the lower pair of suspension rings appear to have consistently remained unused. Minucius' pugio may equally be held in place by the visible straps - but if so we don't know how. Sorry that that is not much help.
It would probably be better to attach it vertically to your belt, as this is what was done later and we also know that the Iberian warriors who originally carried the pugio often wore it vertically as well. If you do this though, please do not use the short leather straps you may have seen other re-enactors using (and which you are using on your current arrangement). They are a modern assumption which runs against the surviving evidence, which shows the upper suspension rings of pugio sheaths to have been positioned on the line of the belt with the frog buttons so close to them as to touch. They were probably attached with tightly tied leather thonging and would have been quite steady with little movement or rattling.
On the matter of the arrangement of the suspension rings on your own sheath, I am afraid I must deliver some bad news. Your sheath is based on a well known drawing of the iron frame sheath found at Titelberg. However, reading the report on the Titelberg sheath and looking at the clear drawings contained in the report, it is clear that this drawing is wrong and that the sheath in question actually had the normal arrangement of four suspension rings attached by loops to the sheath. Two of the suspension loops have been lost but the marks left where they were attached are still visible. Both of the remaining suspension loops on the Titelberg sheath have been formed from narrow extensions of the cross hangers, which extend from one end and then pass around to be riveted to the back, enclosing the suspension ring. The other two suspension loops were made from short strips of iron which were bent around and riveted to the iron side guttering of the sheath, each enclosing a suspension ring. Both these latter loops and the suspension rings they retained are now missing, as mentioned above. The pierced lug which has erroneously been included on your sheath (obviously based on the inaccurate drawing mentioned above) is in the position of one of the missing suspension loops.
Here is a rather poor photograph of one of the drawings from the report, showing front (on the left) and back views.
[attachment=12714]Titelbergsheathdrawing.jpg[/attachment]
Crispvs
It would probably be better to attach it vertically to your belt, as this is what was done later and we also know that the Iberian warriors who originally carried the pugio often wore it vertically as well. If you do this though, please do not use the short leather straps you may have seen other re-enactors using (and which you are using on your current arrangement). They are a modern assumption which runs against the surviving evidence, which shows the upper suspension rings of pugio sheaths to have been positioned on the line of the belt with the frog buttons so close to them as to touch. They were probably attached with tightly tied leather thonging and would have been quite steady with little movement or rattling.
On the matter of the arrangement of the suspension rings on your own sheath, I am afraid I must deliver some bad news. Your sheath is based on a well known drawing of the iron frame sheath found at Titelberg. However, reading the report on the Titelberg sheath and looking at the clear drawings contained in the report, it is clear that this drawing is wrong and that the sheath in question actually had the normal arrangement of four suspension rings attached by loops to the sheath. Two of the suspension loops have been lost but the marks left where they were attached are still visible. Both of the remaining suspension loops on the Titelberg sheath have been formed from narrow extensions of the cross hangers, which extend from one end and then pass around to be riveted to the back, enclosing the suspension ring. The other two suspension loops were made from short strips of iron which were bent around and riveted to the iron side guttering of the sheath, each enclosing a suspension ring. Both these latter loops and the suspension rings they retained are now missing, as mentioned above. The pierced lug which has erroneously been included on your sheath (obviously based on the inaccurate drawing mentioned above) is in the position of one of the missing suspension loops.
Here is a rather poor photograph of one of the drawings from the report, showing front (on the left) and back views.
[attachment=12714]Titelbergsheathdrawing.jpg[/attachment]
Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers. :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.romanarmy.net">www.romanarmy.net
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.romanarmy.net">www.romanarmy.net
