Edged Weapons (swords, knives, Kukris, etc) Archives

Only the finest reproductions of the Roman short sword such as the Mark Morrow Gladius can do justice to the real thing.

I’m sure there are some pretty good replicas from the Philippines, India. Or even good Chinese copies out there. But I’m almost equally certain there’s going to be that little something that throws the imitation off. Due to it being historically inaccurate. Or because it lacks overall craftsmanship and attention to detail.

In the video I’ve mentioned that the Mark Morrow Roman gladius costs $1000. Which isn’t quite altogether true. Because over $350 of its cost is represented by its sheath.

Many reproductions fall down when the quality of the scabbard is not up to the standards set by the sword itself. I’ve also paid a little more for Mark’s shipping it to me because I live in Thailand. But no matter which way you cut it getting a Mark Morrow Roman Gladius is much more of an investment than what you might pay elsewhere.

However, that investment gets you closer to the real Roman sword than about anything else that’s out there. Mark uses real bone and real wood similar to what the Romans had to work with two thousand years ago.

I’m also confident that his gladius is the same size, weight and overall balance real Roman weapons had.

The only main differences I can see between what a real Roman soldier had to fight with and what’s hanging on my wall is that my wall ornament is a whole lot better than what the legionnaires in Caesar’s time brought to the battlefield. For one thing, the sword I got from Mark is made from much better steel than the ancients had back then.

My gladius is actually a scary thing to take down from the wall. Its twin edged blade is over two inches wide and it’s razor sharp.

And since the sword is over two pounds just the thought of it slipping from my hand onto my foot sends shivers up and down my spine. Its exquisite in every detail without as much as a hair width out of line.

I have other swords that are nearly equally sharp as my Mark Morrow Roman Gladius. And my Japanese Katana and my largest kuhkuri actually weighs a little bit more. Neither is as terrifying, however.

The Romans used the gladius primarily as a thrusting, stabbing weapon. rather than as a slashing weapons. Roman soldiers were instructed to go for the groin or abdomen first. While preferably keeping their shields still in front of them. Typically this would be in the melee after the legionnaires had first thrown their Pilla thrown their pila at their enemies.

By the time the two opposing forces collided there would be dead and wounded underneath one’s feet. While many of the enemy still able to stand have thrown away their shields. Rendered useless by the pila stuck inside of them.

The Roman legionaries could now attack their enemies behind their wall of shields. While stabbing furiously at their guts. Their interlocking wall of shields protected the Roman legionaries. While their thrusting their short swords into their enemies vitals became an almost certain death sentence.