A Roman Sabre?

[Eleatic Guest]

Does this Roman mosaic from the mid-3rd century AD (Archaeological Museum of Sousse, Tunisia) represent a proper sabre or was the artist simply running out of space to show a straight-bladed sword?

[Praefectusclassis]

Does this Roman mosaic from the mid-3rd century AD (Archaeological Museum of Sousse, Tunisia) represent a proper sabre or was the artist simply running out of space to show a straight-bladed sword?

How many other ancient swords with that degree of curvature do you know?

[Eleatic Guest]

You mean unless there are other examples of Roman sabres we should discount the mosaic depiction as a visual distortion?

[Arius]

You mean unless there are other examples of Roman sabres we should discount the mosaic depiction as a visual distortion?

It looks like an enlarged (exaggerated ?) version of a sword you see being used by gladiators.

- Harry

[Eleatic Guest]

They are hunters ("venatores") as can be also seen from the lion the third guy has on its shirt as well as the game partly depicted below (for a full view, see https://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/enc...tores.html). Though, after having a closer look, they are supposed to be hunters in the arena, so kind of gladiators too.

[Arius]

Yes, I only meant to imply that curved Roman swords are not totally unknown. I wasn't suggesting that they are actually gladiators.

- Harry