Post by The Muse on Apr 1, 2011 15:03:57 GMT -5
Fighters, warriors and soldiers make great protagonists. In the fantasy genre, these will often carry a sword. Here is yet again an opportunity to include some details that can help your character description and by extension your story stand appart from others of its Genre.
I have put together a list of Swords and similar weapons for your perusal.
Enjoy.
SHORT SWORDS~
1. The Xiphos- a Greek short sword, anywhere from 30 cm to 60cm long. Straight handle, no crosspiece. The blade was usually leaf shaped, being narrower at both ends and broader in the middle. This was due to the use of Iron or Bronze in the construction of the weapon. These metals had a softness that made the leaf-shaped blades necessary.
2. The Gladius- A roman short sword, straight bladed. Iron was beginning to be alloyed with other metals making the straight blades feasible. The Gladius gradually came to be replaced by the Spatha for heavy infantry use, relegating the Gladius to light infantry use.
LONG SWORDS.
3.The Spatha- Larger and longer than the Gladius. Forerunner of the later Long swords which came into common use during the dark ages, after 600 CE.
GREAT SWORDS
4. Great Swords- Large and powerful swords, often requiring two hands to wield them. Beginning in the middle ages they became the sword of choice for close contact hand to hand combat. A good example of this sword type would be a Claymore. (Think of the sword used by The Highlander).
BACKSWORDS
These are the exotics.
5. Scimitars- Backswords with curved blades which originated in the middle east. They could have quite broad blades and require two hands to wield as well. The Scimitar group is also known by other names: The Shamshir, The Puwar, The Saif, The Talwar, and The Kilij.
6. The Kephesh- A straight handled sword with a curved blade, almost like a sickle. Thought to have had possible Canaanite origins. The Kephesh is an Egyptian weapon.
7. The Katana- perhaps one of the better known types of backswords. Katanas have a reputation for exceptional strength and sharpness. This is the result of a unique folding process in the swords manufacture as well as using more than one type of steel in each blade.
OTHER SHARP OBJECTS.
While swords are the main weapon, most warriors will also carry extra weapons. Knives in various shapes and sized would have been the most common, as well as bows of various types and sizes.
Here are a few types of knives:
1. Dagger
2.Dirk- longer than a dagger, but shorter than a short sword.
3. Baselard- A swiss blade with a crescent shaped cross-guard and pommel.
I hope this will be of some use to some of you as you continue in building your worlds.
Happy writing!
I have put together a list of Swords and similar weapons for your perusal.
Enjoy.
SHORT SWORDS~
1. The Xiphos- a Greek short sword, anywhere from 30 cm to 60cm long. Straight handle, no crosspiece. The blade was usually leaf shaped, being narrower at both ends and broader in the middle. This was due to the use of Iron or Bronze in the construction of the weapon. These metals had a softness that made the leaf-shaped blades necessary.
2. The Gladius- A roman short sword, straight bladed. Iron was beginning to be alloyed with other metals making the straight blades feasible. The Gladius gradually came to be replaced by the Spatha for heavy infantry use, relegating the Gladius to light infantry use.
LONG SWORDS.
3.The Spatha- Larger and longer than the Gladius. Forerunner of the later Long swords which came into common use during the dark ages, after 600 CE.
GREAT SWORDS
4. Great Swords- Large and powerful swords, often requiring two hands to wield them. Beginning in the middle ages they became the sword of choice for close contact hand to hand combat. A good example of this sword type would be a Claymore. (Think of the sword used by The Highlander).
BACKSWORDS
These are the exotics.
5. Scimitars- Backswords with curved blades which originated in the middle east. They could have quite broad blades and require two hands to wield as well. The Scimitar group is also known by other names: The Shamshir, The Puwar, The Saif, The Talwar, and The Kilij.
6. The Kephesh- A straight handled sword with a curved blade, almost like a sickle. Thought to have had possible Canaanite origins. The Kephesh is an Egyptian weapon.
7. The Katana- perhaps one of the better known types of backswords. Katanas have a reputation for exceptional strength and sharpness. This is the result of a unique folding process in the swords manufacture as well as using more than one type of steel in each blade.
OTHER SHARP OBJECTS.
While swords are the main weapon, most warriors will also carry extra weapons. Knives in various shapes and sized would have been the most common, as well as bows of various types and sizes.
Here are a few types of knives:
1. Dagger
2.Dirk- longer than a dagger, but shorter than a short sword.
3. Baselard- A swiss blade with a crescent shaped cross-guard and pommel.
I hope this will be of some use to some of you as you continue in building your worlds.
Happy writing!
