Posts: 26
Threads: 2
Joined: Apr 2005
Reputation:
0
Hi,
I'm a first time poster! I am currently pursuing research into the late first century AD. As part of my research I wish to make contact with an armorer who manufactures Roman weapons for modern reenactment groups in order to discuss certain aspects of the strengths and weaknesses of Roman blades with them.
Does anyone have any contact details for such a person?
Thanks in advance.
Posts: 6,734
Threads: 489
Joined: Mar 2001
Reputation:
27
Hi Jon,
Welcome to the forum! I've moved your post to reenactment & reconstruction where it properly belongs à nd where you have a better chance of finding the person(s) you need.
Posts: 3,817
Threads: 147
Joined: Dec 2001
Reputation:
2
Check out Matt Amt's list of suppliers:
[url:3lgte2i9]http://www.larp.com/legioxx/supplrs.html#custom[/url]
I'd also like to point out that one of our forumites, Matt L. posts here quite often and does some excellent work. You can find his sub-forum in the Marketplace area.
Good Luck.
____________________________________________________________
Magnus/Matt
Du Courage Viens La Verité
Legion: TBD
Posts: 2,045
Threads: 116
Joined: Apr 2003
Reputation:
0
Thanks for the plug Magnus- but I don't make blades (yet) so probably couldn't help Jon in the way he seems to need. :wink: Mark Morrow at [url:1jwfrmu9]http://www.swordsmith.net[/url] makes nice blades- perhaps he can help you Jon. The only problem I forsee however is that anyone who makes weapons now, makes them from modern materials so might not really have anything useful to tell you about actual Roman weapons- structurally speaking that is. If you're more interested in the strengths and weaknesses with respect to their USE, there are lots of us here who can help  Maybe if you give us an idea of the kinds of things you want to know, we can see if there is any information we can share...
Matt
See FABRICA ROMANORVM Recreations in the Marketplace for custom helmets, armour, swords and more!
Posts: 26
Threads: 2
Joined: Apr 2005
Reputation:
0
Thanks for all your responses. I am currently looking at the assassination of Domitian in 96AD. One of the details of the assassination which crops up in both the accounts of Suetonius and Cassius Dio is that Domitian kept a sword or dagger under his pillow. As part of the plot, Parthenius, Domitian's chamberlain, is alleged to have removed the blade to neutralise this weapon. According to Suetonius, Domitian grabbed the dagger whilst struggling with his assassin, only to discover that it was only a hilt, the blade having been removed. According to Dio, the blade was removed by the chamberlain shortly before the assassination took place. What intrigues me is the question of how easy it was simply to remove a blade from a dagger or sword in order to neutralise the weapon? Bearing in mind that the entire blade had to be removed in order to render the weapon useless and also that th original hilt had to be intact to place back behind the pillow.
I therefore wanted to ask the opinion of people with experience of Roman blades and swords of the first century AD of how the removal of the blade could be accomplished, and also a time scale if possible? Could this have been done by the chamberlain on his lunch break?
Thanks for your help.
Posts: 2,045
Threads: 116
Joined: Apr 2003
Reputation:
0
That's hard to say Jon- one would think that the Emperor wouldn't have just any old weapon so judging by the features of military weapons might not be appropriate. Now I can tell you that this could not have happened with a gladius or pugio- for different reasons. For the gladius, the sword's tang extends all the way through the handle and is peened over a pommel nut, so cannot be easily removed and also the handle is 3 separate pieces (guard, grip and pommel) that, unless you glue them together or something, wouldn't remain together without the blade. A pugio's handle is generally two halves (front and back) riveted together over the blade- so one can't really remove the blade without some serious work. This suggests that if the story is true, the weapon Domitian had must have been constructed rather differently. All blade weapons have a tang of some sort that extends through the handle, and since you don't really want the blade and handle to come apart, disassembling one isnt' something I'd expect would be readily done by a non-smith. Then again, as I said earlier, it really depends on the design of the specific weapon, so all I can say for sure is that I'm not familiar with any sword or dagger that can be disassembled easily and just the handle left intact.
Matt
See FABRICA ROMANORVM Recreations in the Marketplace for custom helmets, armour, swords and more!
Posts: 8,090
Threads: 505
Joined: Jan 2005
Reputation:
0
It was under his pillow - what if it was a folding knife? Safer, and should be easier to disassemble and leave only the handle. In fact, on sight it would also be a complete knife?
Cheers.
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
Posts: 2,045
Threads: 116
Joined: Apr 2003
Reputation:
0
Were folding knives even around that far back? I would've thought that a relatively recent invention.
See FABRICA ROMANORVM Recreations in the Marketplace for custom helmets, armour, swords and more!
Posts: 8,090
Threads: 505
Joined: Jan 2005
Reputation:
0
Quote:Were folding knives even around that far back? I would've thought that a relatively recent invention.
No idea whatsoever, but let's face it, it ain't too much of a leap of the imagination, and the Romans were very 'engineering' minded.... :?
Who'd have thought they had concrete... ?
Cheers.
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
Posts: 2,045
Threads: 116
Joined: Apr 2003
Reputation:
0
This is true!
See FABRICA ROMANORVM Recreations in the Marketplace for custom helmets, armour, swords and more!
Posts: 8,090
Threads: 505
Joined: Jan 2005
Reputation:
0
Just thought of another way. Take a chisel and a hammer, and whack the blade off. Noisy, so Parthenius would need to cough loudly when doing the deed ... or something :?
Cheers.
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
Posts: 1,587
Threads: 75
Joined: Jul 2001
Reputation:
0
Some of the photos taken on the Roman Army Tour 2002 showed various "non-military knives" including some that probably folded.
Caius Fabius Maior
Charles Foxtrot
moderator, Roman Army Talk
link to the rules for posting
[url:2zv11pbx]http://romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=22853[/url]
Posts: 115
Threads: 3
Joined: Aug 2004
Reputation:
0
I'm sure there are some folding clasp knives around, I think there is one in the British Museum.
I have also seen a picture of a "roman Swiss army knife" type of thing that is a hinged spoon knife combo. Len Morgan makes a nice replica of the Swiss army knife but even though I've seen a photo of the archetype I can't remember where it is 
so a folding dagger is feasible.
Tasciavanous
AKA James McKeand
Posts: 2,045
Threads: 116
Joined: Apr 2003
Reputation:
0
Somehow though I doubt that it would have been a folding knife- that wouldn't be a particularly good quick-defensive weapon... (to would-be assassin): "Just a second, I have to unfold my knife... hang on... hang on... okay I'm ready." :lol:
Nah. Dagger, sure- sword, a lot less likely I think (hard to sleep on a sword)... and I'd actually think that a good explanation for the removal of the dagger's blade would be that the chaimberlain replaced the dagger with just a handle...
Matt
See FABRICA ROMANORVM Recreations in the Marketplace for custom helmets, armour, swords and more!
Posts: 8,090
Threads: 505
Joined: Jan 2005
Reputation:
0
Quote:... and I'd actually think that a good explanation for the removal of the dagger's blade would be that the chaimberlain replaced the dagger with just a handle...
Good point, much easier and more cunning. I have a tendency to over-complicate everything. :?
Cheers.
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
|
