Gladius

One of the most famous Ancient Roman weapons is the gladius. The Latin word gladius, which means "sword" (of any kind), specifically refers to the sword used by ancient Roman foot soldiers. Early swords used by the Romans, known as xiphe, resembled those used by the Greeks (plural; singular xiphos). But beginning in the third century BC, the Romans adopted a sword known as the gladius hispaniensis, or "Hispanic sword," which was modeled after the weaponry used by the Celtiberians in Hispania during the end of the Punic Wars. From the first century AD to the third century, new varieties and variations of the gladius, such as the "Mainz gladius" and the "Pompeii gladius," were in use until they were replaced by the "spatha" in the third century.

Following Gaius Marius' reforms, a fully armed Roman legionary carried a shield (scutum), one or two javelins (pila), a sword (gladius), frequently a dagger (pugio), and, maybe in the later empire era, darts (plumbatae). Before entering in close battle, for which they drew the gladius, troops would traditionally throw pila to damage the enemy's shields and disrupt their formations. Typically, a soldier would lead with his shield and thrust with his sword.

The three most common types are known as the Mainz gladius, the Fulham gladius, and the Pompeii gladius. An earlier variation, the gladius Hispaniensis, has been discovered through more recent archaeological discoveries. These varieties' subtle differences from one another. The original Hispanic sword featured a slight "wasp-waist" or "leaf-blade" curvature and was in use during the republic. In the early empire, the Mainz variety was used on the frontier. It retained the curve but shortened, broadened, and triangulated the blade. At home, the Pompeii variant was used, which was less effective in battle. The tip was lowered, the blade was lengthened, and the curve was removed. With its long tip and straight edges, the Fulham was a compromise.