Carthaginian Spain as the Celtiberian sword, adopted and modified by Rome
Service history
In service
3rd century BC – 3rd century AD
Used by
Celtiberians in service to Carthage during the Punic wars
Roman foot soldiers during the wars of the Roman republic and Roman empire
Specifications
Mass
0.7–1 kg (1.5–2.2 lb)
Length
60–85 cm (24–33 in)
Blade length
45–68 cm (18–27 in)
Width
5–7 cm (2.0–2.8 in)
Blade type
Iron of varying degrees of carbon content, pointed, double-edged
Hilt type
Wood, bronze or ivory
Gladius (Classical Latin:[ˈɡɫadiʊs]) is a Latin word properly referring to the type of sword that was used by ancient Roman foot soldiers starting from the 3rd century BC and until the 3rd century AD. Linguistically, within Latin, the word also came to mean "sword", regardless of the type used.
Early ancient Roman swords were similar to those of the Greeks, called xiphe (pl., sg.: xiphos). From the 3rd century BC, however, the Romans adopted a weapon based on the sword of the Celtiberians of Hispania in service to Carthage during the Punic Wars, known in Latin as the gladius hispaniensis, meaning "Hispanic-type sword". The Romans improved the weapon, modified it depending on how their battle units waged war, and created over time new types of "gladii" such as the Mainz gladius and the Pompeii gladius. Finally, in the third century AD the heavy Roman infantry replaced the gladius with the spatha (already common among Roman cavalrymen),[1] relegating the gladius as a weapon for light Roman infantry.
A fully equipped Roman legionary after the consulships of Gaius Marius was armed with a sword (gladius), a shield (scutum), one or two javelins (pila), often a dagger (pugio), and perhaps, in the later empire period, darts (plumbatae). Conventionally, soldiers threw pila to disable the enemy's shields and disrupt enemy formations before engaging in close combat, for which they drew the gladius. A soldier generally led with the shield and thrust with the sword.[2]
^Penrose, Jane (2008). Rome and Her Enemies: An Empire Created and Destroyed by War. Osprey Publishing. pp. 121–122. ISBN 978-1-84603-336-0.
such as the Mainz gladius and the Pompeii gladius. Finally, in the third century AD the heavy Roman infantry replaced the gladius with the spatha (already...
species name, Xiphias gladius, derives from Greek ξιφίας (xiphias, "swordfish"), itself from ξίφος (xiphos, "sword") and from Latin gladius ("sword"). This...
would also be making smaller capacity, 400cc Gladius SFV400 for the Japanese market. In 2017 the Gladius was replaced with the third generation SV650...
Slade. A replica of the Mainz Gladius can be found in the Romano-Germanic Central Museum (Mainz). The type of gladius was first introduced to the Romans...
("Anekdote") 1911: "The Fight between Jappe and the Do Escobar" 1902: Gladius Dei [de] 1903: Tristan 1903: Tonio Kröger 1905: The Blood of the Walsungs...
In 2009, Suzuki replaced the standard SV650 with the SFV650 Gladius. In 2016, the Gladius name was discontinued and the 2017 model was reverted to SV650...
armor on the upper body (lorica hamata), a dagger (pugio), and a sword (gladius). Roman military personal equipment Lorica segmentata Crummy, Philip (1981)...
Three species have been named so far: Torosaurus latus, T. gladius, and T. utahensis. T. gladius is no longer considered a valid species, however. In 2010...
from French. Almost all etymologists derive it from either the Latin (gladius) or Celtic (*cladivos, compare claymore) word for sword. Nevertheless,...
and Sabers during the Early Islamic Period. Gladius XXI. http://gladius.revistas.csic.es/index.php/gladius/article/viewFile/86/86 Cobb, Paul M. (2008)...
posteriorly, the gladius has elongated-rhomboid vanes and a short, blunt rostrum which is perpendicular to tip of gladius, the gladius is visible beneath...
3rd century AD, relegating the gladius to use as a light infantry weapon. The spatha apparently replaced the gladius in the front ranks, giving the infantry...
The Gladius sea chub (Kyphosus gladius) is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sea chub in the family Kyphosidae. It was recognised a new species in...
consideratione, argued that both the "material sword" (gladius materialis) and the "spiritual sword" (gladius spiritualis) belonged ultimately to the Papacy....
Caucasus. The shape of the weapon is similar to that of the ancient Roman gladius, the Scottish dirk and the ancient Greek xiphos. Inhabitants of Caucasus...
distribution of the Late Cretaceous suspension-feeding bony fish Bonnerichthys gladius (Teleostei, Pachycormiformes)". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 33...
"SWORDS AND SABERS DURING THE EARLY ISLAMIC PERIOD". Gladius. XXI: 193–220. doi:10.3989/gladius.2001.86. S2CID 161188853. Haase, Clause-Peter; et al....
cuttlefish, within the cephalopods. In other cephalopod families it is called a gladius. Cuttlebone is composed primarily of aragonite. It is a chambered, gas-filled...
the user's grip even more secure. Gladius is the general Latin word for 'sword'. In the Roman Republic, the term gladius Hispaniensis (Spanish sword) referred...
Cimolichthys nepaholica, was found with the gladius of T. longa in its gullet. The back portion of the gladius was in the stomach region, while the mouth...
Gigantidas gladius is a species of large, deepwater, hydrothermal vent mussel, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Mytilidae, or mussels. These mussels...
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