Location
Royal Armouries Museum, London (and Online)
Learn about the fearsome Roman short sword (Gladius) in the Royal Armouries collection (object number IX.5583).
This Pompeii-type gladius was uncovered from the Rhine at Wiesbaden (Germany), this lecture explores the history and typology of the iconic legionary weapon.
The Roman short sword, the gladius, is synonymous with the expansion of Rome. Beginning with the gladius Hispaniensis in the third century BC, this iconic weapon became a key element of the Roman legionary’s military equipment.
In this lecture, Dr Jamie Kaminski will explore the history of the weapon and examine the Royal Armouries’ gladius. The well-preserved and very rare example from the Royal Armouries’ collection was discovered in the Rhine at Wiesbaden in Germany in the early 1970s. Jamie will delve into how this sword was produced and used, what its inscribed details tell us about life in the Roman army, and how it compares with other similar examples in Britain and beyond. Finally, he will ask the question – how did such a fine Roman sword end its days in the mud of the Rhine?