The articles in the links below often differ both in theory and in detail. They should not necessarily be understood as fully professional articles but should be appreciated for their presentational value. Gladii were two-edged for cutting and had a tapered point for stabbing during thrusting. A solid grip was provided by a knobbed hilt added on, possibly with ridges for the fingers. Blade strength was achieved by welding together strips, in which case the sword had a channel down the center, or by fashioning a single piece of high-carbon steel, rhomboidal in cross-section. The owner's name was often engraved or punched on the blade. Drawing the sword from the left would have endangered the soldier standing to the legionary’s immediate left. Scabbards were generally positioned on their right hip, in which the opening was above the waist and the pommel near-armpit level. The biggest thing this word was used for was, of course, fighting. It is a very light sword that is easy to operate, even for novices. When combined with a shield, it can easily become a very deadly tool. Sometimes it was dual-wielded with a larger sword or even a long spear. The differences between these varieties are subtle. The original Hispanic sword, which was used during the republic, had a slight "wasp-waist" or "leaf-blade" curvature. The Mainz variety came into use on the frontier in the early empire. It kept the curvature, but shortened and widened the blade and made the point triangular. At home, the less battle-effective Pompeii version came into use. It eliminated the curvature, lengthened the blade, and diminished the point. The Fulham was a compromise, with straight edges and a long point. [23] Gladius Hispaniensis [ edit ]

The Roman Legionary and His Equipment in The First Century AD: An Assessment of the findings of The Ermine Street Guard". Archived from the original on 2015-09-24 . Retrieved 2007-08-24. The Roman gladius was a type of short sword with a double-edged blade. All of them were excellent combat weapons, but the Pompeii gladius serves as the model of several replicas today. Here are the unique characteristics of the short sword: Metal and Construction Today, the Sica sword is primarily used for LARPing (live-action roleplaying) and reenactments. If you manage to find an event that has Roman soldiers or gladiators, you will almost definitely see the Sica sword. Sica replicas are also commonly used as decorations in someone’s home to represent freedom – something that the gladiators yearned for. Gladiators (Latin for Swordsman) were armed combatants from the Roman Empire who entertained audiences in the amphitheatre, the most famous of which was the Colosseum in Rome. Some gladiators were Roman citizens who desired fame and glory but most were slaves or criminals. Gladiators symbolised Rome’s martial ethics in fighting and dying well and they were celebrated in both high and low art. There are 19 amphitheatres in Britain, some of the most famous and best preserved are at Chester, Caerleon and St. Albans.The overall length of the Sica sword, including the handle, is around 16 to 20 inches long (40 to 50 cm). This puts the Sica in the shortsword category, which was a very common type of weapon in ancient times. Not everyone was walking around wielding greatswords. The widest part of the Sica is around 1.2 inches (3 cm); usually, the widest part is where the blade starts curving. Weight The net was a weighted net big enough to cover a man whole. It was used by the retiarius and again was taken from the idea of a fisherman which the retiarius represented in the amphitheatre. Lasso The hoplomachii ("armored fighters") wore a helmet and basic arm and leg protection, a small round shield called a parmula, a gladius, a short dagger known as a pugio, and a gladius graecus, a leaf-shaped sword used only by them. But the story of the Gladiator Spiculus is what makes it even more special. Adored by the crowds that attended the Gladiator Games, this sword was a personal favorite of the Roman Emperor Nero. Spiculus was handsomely rewarded for his fighting skills and received gifts and palaces from the emperor. Even when Nero tried to kill him when he learned that he would be sentenced to death, Spiculus managed to escape his fate. The Vetulonian sword was crafted by the pattern welding process from five blooms reduced at a temperature of 1,163°C (2,125°F). Five strips of varying carbon content were created. A central core of the sword contained the highest: 0.15–0.25% carbon. On its edges were placed four strips of low-carbon steel, 0.05–0.07%, and the whole thing was welded together by forging on the pattern of hammer blows. A blow increased the temperature sufficiently to produce a friction weld at that spot. Forging continued until the steel was cold, producing some central annealing. The sword was 58cm (23in) long. [17]

The crowds weren’t just offered sword-fighting. The day would start with men, called venatores, fighting wild animals such as bears and lions. Then there would be public executions of criminals at noon, with the gladiator battles taking place in the afternoon.Ramsay, Syed (2016). Tools of War: History of Weapons in Ancient Times. India: Vij Books. ISBN 978-938-601-980-6. The standard weight of the Sica sword was anywhere from 0.9 to 1.6 lbs (400 to 750 grams). This means that this shortsword was a very light weapon to use compared to other weapons at the time. The low weight combined with the deadly curved blade makes it a fast weapon that can easily cut or pierce flesh. Uses of the Sica Sword A Sica being used to behead a ballistic gelatin dummy- Credits: Forged in Fire

Spartacus was a Thracian warrior and gladiator who was famous for his slave rebellion and eventual escape from Roman enslavement. He was a fighter and leader that started the Third Servile War, which was a major slave uprising against the Roman Empire. Towards the end of the 2nd century AD and during the 3rd century the spatha gradually took the place of the gladius in the Roman legions. Several European museums have at least one gladius in their collection, with the Sword of Tiberius as the most famous sword to have survived from the Roman world. Still, the gladius remains relevant to modern times as it is often seen in films and stage combats. In Pop Culture Here we will cover as many, if not all of the gladiator weapons commonly used in the Roman amphitheatres. Weapons The Sica is one of the many weapons that gladiators used, often by Thraex, gladiators from Thracia. These gladiators were often heavily geared with a small rectangular shield and a curved Sica sword. The Sica proved to be a lifesaver just as often as a lifetaker.Sica Sword is a very unorthodox-looking double or single-edged curved sword used in the Roman Empire, initially by the Illyrians, Dacians, and Thracians. It was a popular weapon between gladiators of ancient Rome and criminals alike.