Roman sword with sheath
Mainz-Fulham Roman Legionnaire Gladius type with sheath, 1st century .C., decorating sword
The gladius, the main weapon of the Roman legionaries from 3rd c. BC to the 3rd c. AD, has been used in many variations over the centuries. Primarily designed as a storage/stab gun, it was also quite effective at cutting or cutting. Eventually, this highly feared short sword was gradually replaced by the longest spatha during the mid/late Roman Empire.