Gladius
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The Gladius
One of the most feared weapons in the ancient world, the gladius was lethal both on the battlefield and in the arena. Literary sources tell of the terror it inspired, while archaeological evidence of wounds inflicted is testament to its deadly effect. By pulling together strands of literary, sculptural and archaeological evidence renowned expert M.C. Bishop creates a narrative of the gladius' development, exploring the way in which the shape of the short sword changed as soldiers and gladiators evolved their fighting style. Drawing together historical accounts, excavated artefacts and the results of the latest scientific analyses of the blades, this volume reveals the development, technology, training and use of the gladius hispaniensis: the sword that conquered the Mediterranean.
The Roman Gladius and the Ancient Fighting Techniques
The backbone of the Roman army was the infantry, armed with a javelin, or pilum, and sword, or gladius. This study investigates not just the weapon itself, and its design and manufacture, but how the sword was originally conceived and how it was employed on the battlefield as an expression of the Roman state. The authors start examining the early swords employed across the Italian Peninsula during the Bronze Age and how these evolved into the gladius, which itself changed in the period of Monarchy with the introduction of the cross-hilt. During Rome’s Consular period, the gladius changed again, and, over time, both the length of the blade and its width were altered. Relying exclusively on historical and archaeological evidence, The Roman Gladius and the Ancient Fighting Techniques shows how the Roman army developed into a highly disciplined body and how fundamental the gladius was to its method of fighting. It also shows how the combat techniques of the Romans evolved as did those of their enemies. The training methods and tactics of the Roman infantry are fully explored and its performance at some of the great battles of the monarchical and consular periods are examined as the area under Roman rule fluctuated with victory or defeat. For the Roman people, the gladius was the object that better than any other showed their identity, since it was a weapon that accompanied the history of the Roman people from its earliest days, changing in shape and design as it was adapted to the varying social, political and military needs. The Roman Gladius and the Ancient Fighting Techniques is the most comprehensive study of this hugely important weapon, which also provides the reader with a complete overview of Roman society, which in this first volume is treated until the end of the Consular period. The book is richly illustrated throughout with drawings and photographs of original weapons and equipment.
Gladius
The Roman army was the greatest fighting machine the ancient world produced. The Roman Empire depended on soldiers not just to win its wars, defend its frontiers and control the seas but also to act as the engine of the state. Roman legionaries and auxiliaries came from across the Roman world and beyond. They served as tax collectors, policemen, surveyors, civil engineers and, if they survived, in retirement as civic worthies, craftsmen and politicians. Some even rose to become emperors. Gladius takes the reader right into the heart of what it meant to be a part of the Roman army through the words of Roman historians, and those of the men themselves through their religious dedications, tombstones, and even private letters and graffiti. Guy de la Bédoyère throws open a window on how the men, their wives and their children lived, from bleak frontier garrisons to guarding the emperor in Rome, enjoying a ringside seat to history fighting the emperors' wars, mutinying over pay, marching in triumphs, throwing their weight around in city streets, and enjoying esteem in honorable retirement.