The Roman Spatha is a sword used by warriors of the Roman Empire during barbarian invasions. It was first used by cavalry and then also by Roman infantry. The Roman Spatha is a sword larger than the gladius (70-100 cm.)
What is Spatha like?
The Roman Spatha was presented as a long combat sword, it had a straight and double-edged blade. Being a descendant of the famous Gladius, he kept the same materials:
- The guard and knob were usually made of wood or bronze, sometimes with brass parts.
- The handle was made of animal bone, leather or wood.
- The scabbard was made of wood covered in leather and with metal details.
This type of sword was intended to attack the opponent from a farther distance, using cutting blows instead of thrusts. The main difference with the Gladius is in its size: the Spatha used to measure between 75 and 100 cm. This type of sword was less maneuverable than the Gladius but offered a "safe distance" when fighting barbarians.
Types of Roman Spathas
There are different types of Spathas depending on their blade, guard, hilt or pommel. These are the best known:
- Spatha Feltwell: It appeared in a Roman villa in Feltwell, near Norfolk, England, and it is thought that it may be from the 4th century AD. With a wooden handle and knob.
- Spatha Buch-Podlodów: The original is from the 3rd century and was found in Podlodów, Poland, archaeological region of the Przeworsk culture. It has the particularity of having a grooved blade with several grooves.
- Spatha Roman Cavalry: From the end of the 2nd century AD, the Cavalry adopted the Roman long sword, Spatha, and abandoned the Gladius.
- Late Roman Spatha: The most recent Spatha from the end of the 3rd century AD It has a longer blade with double fluting, which reduced the weight of the sword for better maneuverability.
Why the Spatha replaced the Gladius
At the time of the barbarian invasions, the Roman Empire had difficulty containing enemy attacks. Although the invaders' battle tactics were not very good, they managed to win battles for two main reasons: their brutality and their weapons.
The weapons most used by barbarians were axes and swords. The swords they used were long swords, typical of the Nordic lands, with one and a half and two hands. With these long swords, they could keep the Roman soldier at a distance, without giving him the opportunity to attack, since the Gladius sword was used for melee attacks and for launching lunge attacks. It then became a problem for the Roman army, since they had to change weapons and train soldiers for battles with long swords.
Many experts say that this sudden change in battle technique was fatal for the Roman Empire, which lost prestige and was one of the reasons that led to the fall of Rome.
Training in Weapons of the Roman Legion
The training of Roman soldiers with the new sword led them to study new attack techniques, leaving aside the fearsome thrust, the favorite blow when using the Gladius sword. The first to use this sword were the knights, who needed a longer sword to hit the opponent since they were mounted on their horses.
Soldiers adopted this type of sword later. As with the Gladius, soldiers could train with wooden Spathas to avoid injuries or blows that could take them out of battle. Gladiators began to use the Spatha only in the final era of the Roman Empire.
The Spatha was a very important weapon for the Roman army to counter barbarian invasions.
Curious Questions about the Roman Spatha
- What was the main difference between the Spatha and the Roman Gladius?
The main difference was in size, as the Spatha was longer than the Gladius, measuring between 75 and 100 cm, while the Gladius was shorter and designed primarily for lunges. - What motivated the change from the Gladius to the Spatha in the Roman army?
The change was due to the difficulties that the Roman army faced in the face of barbarian invasions. Barbarians used longswords that surpassed the Gladius's capabilities in ranged combat, leading to the adoption of the Spatha to keep enemies at a safe distance. - What was the role of the Spatha in the training of Roman soldiers?
The Spatha required a new combat technique, moving away from the Gladius's typical thrust. The Roman knights were the first to use it, adapting it to their style of mounted fighting. Later, the Roman infantry also adopted it, leading to the formation of new combat methods. - Where were some famous specimens of Roman Spatha found?
Famous specimens of Roman Spatha were found in places such as Feltwell, Norfolk, England, and Podlodów, Poland, among other archaeological sites of ancient Rome. - How did the use of the Spatha affect the prestige of the Roman Empire?
The sudden change in combat technique due to the use of the Spatha contributed to the loss of prestige of the Roman Empire, as its army was forced to adapt to the combat tactics of the barbarians, which ultimately contributed to the fall of Rome. - What was the typical length of a Roman Spatha?
The typical length of a Roman Spatha ranged between 75 and 100 cm, being significantly longer than the Roman Gladius. - What type of enemies led to the adoption of the Spatha in the Roman army?
The adoption of the Spatha in the Roman army was largely due to the need to confront barbarian enemies who used long swords and ranged combat techniques, making the Gladius inadequate to confront them effectively.
Discover more about this fascinating weapon from the past and its impact on the history of Rome!
