Surviving Examples of a Roman “Spatha” Used in War and Gladiatorial Fights
The Spatha, an iconic Roman sword, found its introduction into the imperial army during the early imperial period. Initially, Celtic cavalry auxiliaries, retaining their long swords with blade lengths ranging from 60 to 85 cm, brought the Spatha to Roman service. Gradually supplanting the earlier Gladius sword from the late 2nd to the 3rd century, […]









