The Gladius: The Roman Short Sword (Weapon)

This slim book is a very good overview of the "gladius Hispaniensis." Bishop covers the sword's evolution, how legionaries trained with it, how it was used in battle, and how it's viewed in the modern world. There is a lot of information packed into the book's 80 pages, and there are numerous pictures and drawings to support the text. The book is a good beginning point for anyone interested in the primary weapon carried by the legions of Rome.

This Osprey Weapon Series Book has everything you may have ever wanted to know about the classic Roman short sword called the gladius, carried for centuries by soldiers of the Roman legions . Author M.C. Bishop brings in depth expertise to the discussion of the gladius, from its development to its use in battle to its effect on the history of the Roman Empire. He cleverly weaves together archeology, classical writings, and modern scholarship on the Roman Legions to deliver his narrative. That narrative is nicely supported by an excellent collection of ancient art and modern photographs and illustrations. Highly recommended to the keen student of the Roman way of war.

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Spanish edged tool for hacking off arms later adopted by Romans. This is great for anyone interested in one handed tools. It includes examples of how the sword was used. The Gladius was light and had a secure grip. Hopefully designers will use this information to create modern versions of the Gladius.

The evolution of the storied weapon through the ages.

This work well describes the Roman Short Sword, its evolution and use to become the world's leading individual weapon for ove five centuries. In close combat, it had no equal.

Good technical analysis of the weapon. On Kindle the book graphics leave a lot to be desired though.

The best single book on the Roman gladius in English. Essential reading for all students of the Roman army.

This little booklet, part of Osprey’s series on Weapons, shows rather well to what extent the Gladius – the Roman short (or not so short) sword was fit for purpose as a murderous and brutally efficient cut and thrust infantry weapon.The first section – “adopt and adapt” – depicts its origins while the second one – “Use” – describes its multiple evolutions, or rather the numerous types of swords that evolved over time and are collectively known as “gladius”. One of the merits of this book is precisely to bring to light these various types of swords, each of which being described in vivid and sometimes excruciating detail. Overtime, these varied in just about every component such as length, width and the form of the point.While there may be a bit of exaggeration and melodrama in the subtitle of the third section (“the sword that conquered the Empire), its title (“Impact”) is perfectly apt. The book does a remarkable job in showing to what extent it became and remained for over four centuries one of the main elements of the legionary’s panoply. Its size and point made it into the perfect killing tool when fighting in a shield wall. Its use was also closely associated with that of the Scutum, both of which would be used offensively to bash and stab an opponent after getting “up close and personal”, easily piercing through mail or scale armour.Another quality of this book is the fact that the author has made good use and well blended together literary, archaeological and epigraphic sources with modern reconstructions and re-enactment, all of it backed up by rather superb illustrations. One example, among many others, is a photograph showing how the Gladius’ hand guard, hand grip and pommel – as reconstructed - were designed in such a way that they provided a secure grip that allowed for this killing sword to be used as efficiently as possible.I nevertheless had two little reservations. I was not entirely convinced with the author’s half-hearted attempt to show that the gladius – or at least its longer versions - could also be used as a cavalry sword. Moreover, while the author’s descriptions of the various sword types, their use and their terrifying impact on both enemy bodies and minds are remarkable, he never quite gets to explaining why the gladius fell out of use among both the legions and the auxiliaries to be replaced by the (generally) longer spatha. Four strong stars

Anyone with an interest in Roman history, be that in fiction or non-fiction, will often come across military passages where various items of equipment are mentioned. One of them will certainly be the ubiquitous gladius. We won't even think about it; we'll move on without a second thought, confident that we know exactly what is being talked about.But it does us all good, once in a while, to pause, and challenge our own pre-conceptions. That is exactly what this book does. It's not a big book - about 80 pages - but appears to contain just about everything known about this iconic sword. And the story is not as simple as it may appear.The author traces the history of the gladius; its probable origins, its various incarnations, how it was made, and gives his views and opinions as to why the changes occurred. Because you can tell a lot from this seemingly simple weapon. Why was it so successful? Did the changes to the gladius over time change Roman tactics? Or did a change of tactics lead to changes in the weapon? There are no clear answers, but the author does an excellent job of explaining the competing theories, and explaining his own conclusions.The other thing worth mentioning are the illustrations. There are many, and they add enormously to the text. Pictures of extant weapons in various European museums, as well as pen drawings and diagrams. This, of course, means that this is not an ideal book to read on a Kindle. If you buy the Kindle version, it is definitely worth reading it on a tablet or PC if you can, or at least using one to look through the pictures.Overall, this is an excellent resource. Clear, concise and beautifully illustrated.*You can read all my reviews in full on my blog. The address is on my profile page.*

in conjunction with Osprey's books on the pilum (javelin) and scutum (shield). These were the three weapons which, when properly organised and supported, founded and retained the Roman Empire for centuries.

Enjoyable read based on obvious research but written and illustrated in a graphic and interesting style.Looking forward to the following book on the Pilum.

Brought mainly for reference use but initial glance looks good.