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A gladius (gladius hispaniensis, the Spanish sword) is a short sword, 600  mm (24  inches) long, used by the Roman legionaries. However, contrary to common belief, it was not used by gladiators, who used a version with a shorter blade (300 mm to 350 mm [12 in. to 14 in.] long). In the 3rd century, improvements in metal working technology which allowed the introduction of the spatha finally antiquated the venerated gladius.

The gladius was crafted from soft iron and the exterior was carburized using coal dust on the face of the anvil. This was necessary because the soft iron was not hard enough to have taken an edge before the carbon of the coal powder was added to the exterior of the blade.

The gladius is straight and double-edged, with a V-shaped tip, and primarily constructed for thrusting action and use together with a large rectangular shield, the scutum. The cross-section of the gladius is typically rhomboid, providing the blade with good stability for stabbing.

The gladius is frequently depicted in coats of arms, especially of military corps.

The name is Latin, and the diminutive form Gladiolus is also the name of a flowering plant with sword-shaped leaves.


Gladius is a video game released in 2003 for the XboxThe Xbox is Microsoft's game console, released on November 15 2001. It is Microsoft's first independent venture into the console arena, after having collaborated with Sega in porting Windows CE to the Sega Dreamcast console. The price is currently 149 USD, PlayStation 2The PlayStation 2 PS2 ( Japanese: 2) is Sony's second video game console, after the PlayStation. Its development was announced in April 1999, and it was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000. It was released in the United States on 26 October 2000., and GameCube video game consoles.

Ancient Roman military technology European swords

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