The sword used by Scipio’s army in Spain in the Second Punic War was the famous gladius Hispaniensus (“the Spanish sword”), usually referred to as simply the gladius. It has been called the weapon that won an empire. It was probably adopted from the Iberians in the Second Punic War (or possibly the First Punic War). Some credit Scipio Africanus with its adoption, but most historians are skeptical about assigning him credit. It came into its own in the Second Punic War when the Romans wedded the design with the highest quality steel from the Alpine kingdom of Noricum. It was now ready to win an empire. Surprisingly, it was worn on the right side of the body. Apparently, getting it out of its scabbard (vagina) was not a problem in battle. For a long time, the gladius was described as being a short sword, but modern archeology has found relics that are 25 inches long, not counting the tang (the part of the metal that is in the handle). This would make it longer than the swords used by Greek and Macedonian hoplites. Archeologists think the gladius got as short as 16-22” in the Empire period. It had a hand grip made of wood, bone, or ivory with four grooves for the fingers. The pommel was made of wood, possibly covered with sheet metal or ivory. It could be used to deliver a fracturing blow to an enemy’s face. The scabbard was made of wood covered with sheet metal. It was usually decorated. The gladius is usually described as a stabbing weapon, but it could also be used to hack at an enemy. The gladius could easily sever an arm or decapitate a foe. Livy described an enemy viewing a battle site: “…when they had seen bodies chopped to pieces by the Spanish sword, arms torn away, shoulders and all, or heads separated from bodies, with the necks completely severed, or vitals laid open, and the other fearful wounds, realized in a general panic with what weapons and what men they had to fight.”
The gladius gave the legionaries a big advantage over other soldiers, who mostly used long slashing swords. After all, a long slashing sword is much cooler. It fit the style of barbarians. They loved wild charges and the slashing that came at the end. However, the gladius was the superior weapon for several reasons. First, it is easier to kill a person if you stab them in their vital organs. A long sword will break bones and possibly cut off an arm, but it usually takes more to kill a man. Especially if that man has armor protecting his chest. Vegetius wrote about the gladius:
“[legionaries] were taught not to cut but to thrust with their swords. For the Romans not only made a jest of those who fought with the edge of their weapon, but always found them an easy conquest. A stroke with the edges, though made with ever so much force, seldom kills, as the vital parts of the body are defended by the bones and the armor. On the contrary, a stab though it penetrates but two inches is generally fatal.”
Second, when an opponent with a long sword raised it to slash at you, he exposed his side. Since Rome’s opponents usually did not have armor protecting that area, it was easy to stab into the chest. Third, a long sword is very tiring. Not just because it is heavier, but also because the swinging motion takes a lot of effort compared to the more efficient stabbing motion of a Roman legionary. This is why if the Romans could survive the opening onslaught of screaming barbarians – time was on their side. Not only did the enemy tire quickly, but not being able to cow the legionaries wilted their morale fast. Fourth, soldiers with long swords needed more space to do their thing. This meant their formations were much looser and less able to stand up to the Roman counterattack. It encouraged running away because there was not a solid block of men behind you. And last, but not least, the Roman gladius was better made than the typical long sword. The steel was more durable than the iron used for enemy swords. Polybius does not mention daggers (pugiones), but we can assume that if a legionary could afford one, he had one. The pugio would serve as a last ditch weapon if you lost your gladius. And it could be used for cooking and other camp activities.
- from The Scipios in Spain
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