With the advent of metallurgy, it became possible to create longer, more flexible blades than had previously been possible. The earliest swords were cast or forged from copper or bronze. Bronze is an alloy of roughly 90 percent copper to 10 percent tin. The ancient Egyptians were renowned for the khopesh, a tightly curved, sickle-bladed sword. Debate continues as to whether or not it evolved from agricultural sickles. The Chinese also produced excellent bronze blades, as well as the Myceneans and various peoples from central Asia.
Ancient Swords
Most bronze swords were relatively short, probably due to cost and because longer blades lost much of their strength. As knowledge of iron-working spread, sword smiths began creating blades of iron. It is curious to note that, in addition to being heavily prone to rust, early iron blades were often either extremely brittle or soft enough to bend. The quality of many bronze blades far surpassed that of the earliest iron swords.The Gaul’s used long, leaf-bladed swords, ideal for chopping and slashing, although the iron used was often so soft that Roman writers recorded that many Gallic warriors would pause after delivering a blow to straighten their bent sword blades beneath their feet.
Ironsmiths gradually discovered that smelting and forging at high temperatures with charcoal produced a much improved metal, with a balance between hardness and flexibility. It was also discovered that alternately hammering a red hot blade before quenching it in cold water imparted greater rigidity and strength, a process known as tempering. The quality of iron swords steadily improved. Iron was also more readily available than bronze, which required the use of tin. Tin was scarce and traders often had to travel vast distances to procure it.
The Greeks produced a variety of swords: the kopis, a recurved sword, similar in appearance to the Ghurkha kukri: it was used for chopping blows, the forward curve of the blade adding terrific momentum to a stroke. The standard hoplite sword, the xiphos, was short, straight, double-edged and used for stabbing. Most ancient cultures used short swords: infantry fought in close formations, discouraging the use of longer, slashing blades, which require more room to wield.
The Gladius
The most famous sword of the ancient world was the Roman Gladius. It was derived from blades used by Iberian warriors from Spain. The Romans were so impressed by the Gladius Hispianensis that they began forging it themselves and equipping their legionaries with it. The gladius evolved over the centuries, but the basic pattern remained the same - a relatively short, straight sword, ideal for thrusting but long and heavy enough to be used for cutting. It was capable of severing an arm or decapitating a foe.
Over time, the Romans developed a longer version of the gladius, used primarily by auxiliaries and cavalry, although in the waning years of the Empire it was adopted by legionaries as well. This sword was called a spatha and many of the swords used by western European cultures after the fall of Rome are reminiscent of the spatha. Traditional straight-bladed Arabic swords were derived from it. The spatha is considered the ancestor of the medieval broadsword.
The Falx
When Trajan invaded Dacia in 101 AD, the Romans encountered a particularly savage blade, the Dacian Falx. The falx was simply a long, slightly recurved iron blade mounted on a long haft, or handle - some argue whether the falx was a sword or a pole-arm. The falx was used for overhand hacking blows and was easily capable of splitting a helmet or cleaving a shield. Testament to its terrific power in the hands of a skilled warrior is provided by the way the Romans reinforced legionary helmets with cross-bars, the only time that they ever made such an adjustment to infantry equipment.
‘A sword is never a killer, it is a tool in the killer’s hands.’ - Seneca.
Sources:
The Book of The Sword, Sir Richard F. Burton; Kessinger Publishing, 2006
The Illustrated History of Weaponry From Flint Axes to Automatic Weapons, Chuck Wills in Association with the Berman Museum of World History; Sevenoaks, 2006
