Is The Roman Gladius (Sword) Really That Good?

Is The Roman Gladius (Sword) Really That Good?
Dynasty Forge gladius: www.dynastyforge.com/swords/e...
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[@reallyoldfatgit]

So, a gladius used without a shield is, in fact, a sadius.

[@AlEx-uj8rj]

You little shi-

[@surgeonsergio6839]

😢

[@CultofGrace]

I see what ya did there 😅😅😅

[@mr.e.t.2701]

Scrotimus Rex

[@theviking6052]

Stephen Marshall unless you’re opponent only has a sword as well without a shield

[@BlondeBeard18]

Prediction: It’s good in its proper context with a scutum, and ideally in formation

[@moonasha]

also, prediction: good against unskilled fighters and untrained armies

[@yomauser]

@@moonasha Unskilled and untrained like the Carthaginian army, Macedonian phalanx, Spartan soldiers or the Gauls warriors...?

[@Omnihil777]

There is sputum on my scutum

[@EldarKinSlayer]

Roman soldiers weren't one on one fighters. Even when outnumbered, they were heavy infantry, shoulder to shoulder, heavily armored, large interlocking shields they hacked at exposed limbs and stabbed to the body, AFTER depriving their foes (generally speaking) of their shields by sticking spears in them that bent and tangled their feet. It was an equipment and training system exquisitely designed for Roman discipline and mobility.

[@hrotha]

@@EldarKinSlayer At the end of the day, they won because of their superior logistics, which in turn allowed them to capitalize fully on their superior manpower. Plenty of people managed to defeat the Romans on the field, but the Romans would just keep sending more armies until their enemies gave up*. *were dead/sold into slavery

[@commode7x]

"Shank, shank, shank" That is truly the sound of chivalry

[@virgosintellect]

OG cleavage

[@tibfulv]

cibalrius, smibalrius.

[@JRudd]

I chuckled a little while he said that

[@fauxmarmorer9544]

Don't you mean shiv-alry

[@eduardgherasim2896]

super close, face to face formation fighting, pushing your enemy while you get pushed from behind by your allies. Must feel like rush hour trains in Tokyo. Stabbing makes more sense since swinging the sword in a tight formation is hard and dangerous for your team, and also easier to parry by enemies. A stab coming from behind a shield is hard to predict and block.

[@OdiousCoprophagus]

I also have a hole in my wall from swinging around a Dane axe in my living room

[@DeHeld8]

It's not about the length, it's about what you do with it. And always wear protection!

[@kenanacampora]

Funny, Ive never had to say that. 😬👏

[@DeHeld8]

@@kenanacampora sorry, did I steal your joke? :o

[@jamesdelatorre6424]

No crossing swords!

[@DeHeld8]

@@jamesdelatorre6424 Hey, there is nothing wrong with a little sword-on-sword action!

[@chaseviking5096]

@elijah mikle the sword was for direct close courters combat where spears would not work. The Romans mainly used spears until the enemy got too close then they switched to their sword. Other empires did the same thing.

[@franciscodanconia3551]

Q: Is the gladius a great sword? A: No, it's a gladius. Greatswords are greatswords.

[@MrAranton]

The gladius IS a greatsword - if you're a five year old boy or slightly below avarage height for an adult Italian.

[@TucoBenedicto]

@@MrAranton I wasn't aware we Italians had the reputation of being a bunch of midgets. Then again, Romans were supposedly far shorter than modern Italian on average.

[@nicedreams7192]

@@TucoBenedicto Most people are shorter than their modern counterpart. People have simply gotten taller over time on average.

[@TheodoreManthovani]

Gladius is a great sword, not a greatsword. xD

[@vspirit23]

Bethesda has joined the chat

[@PingHansen]

Context: the gladius is a design optimized for fighting in a shield wall formation. The gladius is short because it was meant to be drawn behind the shield, from a sheath carried on the right side, without wounding your neighbor in the formation - and it was carried on the right for that same reason. Being short, it was also way easier to control from behind the shield. Outside the formation, Not optimal, but doable, as the opponent would need to work around the shield. Without a shield. Better than nothing, but you would most likely be better off wielding something with a longer reach.

[@nicoletingey3325]

Well no not really yes ou are right it was developed for the triplex acises formations and given to the veterans and not the histari or vistari it wasn't until he Marian reforms all legionaries were all given the Gladius yes you paid for your weaponry however it was based on the class system of both the roman military and society it was up to the comander or legatus to provide the arms as crassus and marius were noted on record stating if all Romans had the same privilege the army would be unstoppable if that makes any sense to you

[@matteobertotti]

@@nicoletingey3325 But the army was basically unstoppable anyway.

[@notsoprogaming9789]

@Richard Davis ?

[@aotoda486]

But then why did the gladius/short sword-shield combo fall out of use?

[@PingHansen]

@@aotoda486 Battlefield tactics changed to the point where something with a longer reach made more sense

[@oltyret]

You're right. The Gladius was part of a package and should be viewed as a component of the Roman battle kit. The Romans entered a world of phalanxes with their legions. They needed to get past the forest of spears and close in. They didn't want to play the phalanx game with a phalanx of their own. They wanted an anti-phalanx. Before the initial contact, a volley of javelins could have created the set up by thinning the forest of spears. They needed a large curved shield to deflect the spear heads along with the hefty hacking power of the gladius to knock the next spear head away as they worked their way in. An open faced helmet gave them the visibility to see where the spearheads were and counter them. Heavy armor helped them survive their mistakes. Once they got in, the tapering point of the gladius could have been used to punch through eye holes and other gaps in the armor. An exposed spear arm could have been hacked or slashed. The shield could have been used for body slamming to create killing stroke opportunities for the legionnaire or the one behind him. Once within the phalanx, Roman legionnaires with their gladii could spread like cancer cells.

[@oltyret]

@Legio XXI Rapax Nice description of gladius and scutum tactics but you don't explain why a checkerboard formation counters a solid phalanx. You just say it does. I guess we are supposed to assume that the portion of the phalanx line that does not come into contact with a maniple will continue forward into the gap - like idiots! Macedonians, at least, were way more disciplined than this and it isn't that hard to keep the shields lined up and push the forward maniples back. The purpose of the checkerboard formation was to provide maximum tactical and maneuver flexibility on hilly terrain. I doubt very much that they would normally confront a phalanx with the checkerboard. They would seek to break up the phalanx with a javelin volley, try to work their way to the flanks, or try to work their way past the spears as I described. It wasn't easy.

[@PomaiKajiyama]

Yes do a video about what is the best Sword/Shield set.

[@gregbilotta2472]

I would like to see this as well, especially with curved v. straighter swords

[@MrPants-zu6dm]

Please do that video Matt.

[@NikozBG]

Yes please. This would be quite an interesting topic.

[@nico40820]

That would be interesting

[@Alakazzam09]

Dew it!

[@thegangvault2]

Some Roman general I forget the name of: "If you find your sword is too short, take a step forward."

[@CptFugu]

Lol. Sounds a lot like my first Platoon Leader. Different eras, same attitude.

[@maximthemagnificent]

I presume his name was "Biggus Swordis".

[@razvanconstantin740]

@@maximthemagnificent Largus Gladius more likely

[@LLACEM]

That would have been Russel Crowe darling.

[@junichiroyamashita]

It was a spartan retort,because their xhipos were shorter than those of other poleis.

[@scottharris5264]

It was also excellent in tight quarters, which is the style of combat the Roman's preferred.

[@fatalexception1269]

The Gladius would have been useful within indoor settings: given that the Romans were all about conquest there would have been a lot of house-to-house clearing, so the sword would have been useful for that.

[@osborne9255]

Paired mine with a 12" steel fist gripped buckler for a fast, flowing whirlwind of steel. It would be really effective indoors. Good point.

[@erikjarandson5458]

Which weapon is best in a one on one sword fight? This has been thoroughly settled and convincingly demonstrated by Indiana Jones. A revolver, hands down.

[@mallardtheduck406]

Only during a bout with dysentery!!! 😁

[@dernwine]

Depends how far away the man with a knife is from the man with a revolver.

[@davidtuttle7556]

@@dernwine if the revolver in question is a Colt Double action .45 or a Borchardt, the man with the knive is going down hard at any distance.

[@dernwine]

@@davidtuttle7556 Not exactly what I was on about. If someone has a knife and is close enough to grabble a man with a revolver the man with the knife often has the advantage. Nothing to do with caliber.

[@nirfz]

​@@davidtuttle7556 not any distance, if "close enough" the guy with the gun will go down too. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZzdaHijed2bqrc

[@moralkamikaze1112]

Did anyone else try to wipe the mark on Matts wall off of your screen?

[@Odin029]

The only way my screen would have gotten that dirty is if a fly had committed suicide

[@willinnewhaven3285]

I thought about it.

[@drakus40k]

Yes. Twice before I realized it wasn't on my screen...

[@Ka0s]

Yes. 😐

[@robgoodsight6216]

yes

[@ThatWorks]

I would love to add a few things to this info in regards of metallurgy if you ever want to

[@Seth9809]

Like?

[@CrazeeFy]

@@Seth9809 lol exactly

[@gregwarner3753]

This sword was part of a weapon set consisting of sword, shied, armor and group training. By itself it was a big knife.

[@Saber23]

Yeah no shit

[@sepg5084]

Any sword is just a long knife

[@ppellacani]

Obviously is not a great sword. It is a short sword, just 1d6+STR of damage

[@alalalala57]

hahahaha nice.

[@jerrydean2065]

Lol...funny !....dont forget the enchantment and or a soul stone !....

[@mikekennedy5879]

D6+DEX. It's a finesse weapon.

[@raymondking214]

Gaming geek alert!!!!!LOL!

[@benjaminlabarge4899]

@@mikekennedy5879 finesse means you can use either str or dex, so generally it's better

[@SuperAerie]

No, the organisational skills of the romans gave them an empire. Not the sword. But I like the sword :)

[@dandannoodles7070]

Not really organizational skills, just a different view of citizenship than the rest of the ancient world; to the Romans, it was something they extended to Italian peoples to bring them into the fold, while the Greeks saw citizenship as something to exclude as many people as possible from, so individual citizens would have the proportionally strongest voice in politics.

[@EloNaj]

@@dandannoodles7070 Well that developed with the latin war but before that they excluded everything that was not citizen of the city of rome that was until the late republic.

[@dandannoodles7070]

@@EloNaj Not really. From the very beginning of the city, there were what were called Latin rights extended to neighboring communities. Someone could become a citizen of Rome by moving into the city's territory; to inherit citizenship, only your father needed to be a citizen (in Greece, it was often both parents); citizens of different cities could make binding contracts enforceable by the city in whose territory it was made. The famous aristocratic clan of the Claudii originated with a Sabine chief who relocated into Roman territory, for instance.

[@Mrdest211]

They had beaten the Italians in wars before making them citizens. Extending citizenship doesn't conquer people, it helps win the war that comes after.

[@dandannoodles7070]

@@Mrdest211 No, lots of Italian cities came over to Rome willingly, and in any case, 'helping win the war that comes after' is literally synonymous with conquering people.

[@johannesdolch]

Good Job stretching a 30 second answer out to 15 minutes :)

[@WinsomeJohnny]

Jeezus!!..I know right!!...lmao

[@SteveTheFazeman]

Talk about beating around the bush, this video was brutal.

[@WinsomeJohnny]

@@SteveTheFazeman lmao!...Thank you!!

[@frankovera7553]

Where did he tell the answer?

[@yanborges8292]

@@frankovera7553 It begins at 11:44

[@cerberaodollam]

"the sword that conquered an empire" has the exact same vibe as "two world wars" coming from 1911 fanboys

[@cattledog901]

B-b-but my fohty five is for REAL men hurr durr

[@realtalk4real243]

Both great weapons

[@GallopingWalrus]

John Moses Browning created possibly the best handgun of all time. When he made the Browning Hi Power. Also the 1911 exists.

[@warshipsatin8764]

pistols werent really used in combat though, whereas the gladius definitely was. not saying its the best tho

[@BingusTheWockis]

I mean, the 1911 is a great pistol, except for it's use of .45 cal ammunition (overpowered, low capacity). Other than that, it's reliable, easy to maintain, and easily pointable. To me, it seems that it easily fit it's role as a military sidearm of the time (especially because most common automatic pistols of the time had a magazine capacity not exceeding 10 rounds). Though I wouldn't carry it nowadays, I think I'd rather carry something like a .40 SW Sig Sauer.

[@imhigh0013]

Shields and tight spaces change the dynamics of blade length being more usable.

[@someguy3186]

Tight spaces definitely have an impact on how deeply you can thrust your sword

[@nonna_sof5889]

@@TeroHal It was also worn on the right by the common soldiers so they didn't have to break the shield wall to draw, which limits the length.

[@InSanic13]

A "best sword with a shield video" would definitely be neat.

[@ElDrHouse2010]

short spear by itself beats all swords. short spear with shield does even better. just take a guess... its the rapier (again) duh

[@gitman3486]

Arming sword surely

[@SkidinDingo]

The roman gladius is great at something: fast production. Once the blade is done you just have to affix a wooden handle and presumably a few pieces of cast bronze. If you have to crank out 100 swords for a battalion, a wooden handle with cast bronze gaurd on a simple blade shape is a really good option.

[@jjw5165]

Never underestimate the effects of finances on a army of thousands.

[@SkidinDingo]

@@jjw5165 for sure, even today. i'd be willing to make a comparison to the popularity of the gladius to the popularity of ak pattern rifles. they're reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and effective on the battlefield

[@kev_sen]

In a tight formation you can get alot of leverage with a gladius just by rotating your hips like a boxer without needing much room for a powerful thrust, the scutum would also conceal the blade making it very hard to react in time, a very simple but effective 1-2 combo for a formation to fight in sync.

[@johnbr59]

"The more length you've got, the better it is" - Matt Easton, July 2019

[@philipzahn491]

It had to be made. :P

[@NocKme]

And I thought girth was more important, but I guess he is taking about thrusting action.

[@Weingeist1987]

@@philipzahn491 Its sort of a tradition now.

[@KlausBeckEwerhardy]

I actually think this sentence has been the whole point of this video ;)

[@Hiltibold]

Please, grow up.

[@harjutapa]

Every military person I know can tell you: it's not about the individual weapon so much (though it matters a bit), it's the whole package: logistics, support, discipline, strategy, tactics, and weapons/equipment. Roughly in that order.

[@-----REDACTED-----]

The sinews of war are endless money. - Marcus Tullius Cicero

[@chaseviking5096]

Don't forget that you do far better with the weapon you are trained with and the Romans were trained with that sword.

[@johngant3553]

Sounds like .....

[@markclaire2464]

I've no idea why KZbin has randomly recommended this video to me but I found it very interesting all the same. Liked and subbed. 👍

[@TheDcraft]

Will you ever cover the falcata? And is it related to the gladius? It looks different, but it comes from Iberia too, if I'm not mistaken.

[@WarPigstheHun]

Roman's did get their gladius design from iberia...

[@ColHoganGer90]

Besides armour and shields, fighting in tight formations does also change the preferability of a longer sword versus a shorter one.

[@darkalystar]

A fair amount of formation fighting was with the longest weapons of all.

[@FinalManaTrigger]

@@darkalystar Yep, the spear.

[@matthewcooper4248]

I was surprised he didn't mention that. Now while many formations did use the spear, the design of the scutum along with the armor basically meant the spears were useless. That's why the Greeks lost eventually. The Romans were able to press the attack, and when it was too close for spears the Greeks' swords were too short to do anything since the Gladius was longer.

[@dandannoodles7070]

Roman formations were very open, often with six feet per man, specifically so that the swords could be used more easily.

[@Riceball01]

@@matthewcooper4248 The Greeks eventually lost not because of their use spears, but because they preferred the phalanx which was a fairly rigid formation. The Romans, on the other, tended to be much more flexible in their formations and didn't need to fight on flat, open ground like you would (ideally) with a phalanx.

[@justrobin8155]

I'd love to hear your take on the sword/shield combo! It might be particularly interesting if you pick an ideal shield for each sword rather than always using the same.

[@danmaltby3271]

Yup Gladius was a part of a weapons system and it’s hard to look at it alone. The short sword was used by the Romans who came at you in formation with interlocked shields, like a wall coming at you, and they could take the Gladius and thrust under the shield and disembowel the enemy.

[@Intranetusa]

"Interlocked shields" might have been a too dense of a formation for the Romans to effectively fight in combat. The Romans were supposed to have adopted a looser formation compared to the Greek hoplites, and Plutarch said that at the Battle of Carrhae, the Romans who interlocked their shields in close formations such as testudo were attacked in melee by the Parthians because they were packed too tightly to use their weapons effectively.

[@datuputi777]

@@Intranetusa Indeed but pilums broke enemy density/formation so it didn't matter if they're a bit loose in formation they probably loved opponents who fought in slow tight shield walls they get to shoot them with pilum to death. Technically the reason also why medieval warfare isn't big about pike formations because it sucked against missile fire but any other thing sucked against cavalry charge its why medieval armies are heavily archer based because they compliment heavy cavalry which in late Roman era was already a phenomenon. Pikes only made a return because of muskets requiring protection on open field but muskets really changed everything because it didn't require amazing fitness allowing Technically more ranged units to be fielded and as a bonus it's amazing in sieges both for attacking and defending.

[@Intranetusa]

@@datuputi777 The interesting thing about European Rennisance era pike and shot warfare of pikes and muskets is that it resembled earlier ancient to medieval East Asian/Chinese warfare where the role of the musket taken by the role of crossbows used in mass. Crossbowmen, archers, pikemen, halberdiers, and swordsmen were commonly used in mixed unit, combined arms formations and were supplemented by cavalry on the wings.

[@QualityPen]

Romans didn’t interlock their shields. They fought with about a meter between each man. The scutum isn’t even wide enough to interlock with if you try. The only way it interlocks is top to bottom such as for the anti-cavalry formation or testudo, but these are special purpose formations and not normal maneuver/fighting formation. An example of a shield that did interlock was the aspis, which was a huge round shield and mounted such that the left edge stuck out past the wearer’s left side by 1-2 feet. The scutum in contrast was designed to hug the body of the wearer, not to extend past him to cover the body of the next man.

[@QualityPen]

@@datuputi777 With the exception of the English and horse archer cultures, Medieval armies were not archer based. Nor were archer based armies particularly effective. The English had a couple of highly publicized victories against the French, but at the end of the day they lost the Hundred Years’ War. If anything, Medieval armies were spearman based. When plate armor gained prominence, they became polearm based.

[@WalkaCrookedLine]

One issue is drawing the sword. The longer a sword is, the more difficult it is to draw one handed. Roman tactics usually involved entering combat with the sword sheathed, javelins at the ready. First you threw your javelins, then you drew your sword. With one hand occupied holding up the heavy scutum, there was no free hand to steady the scabbard for the draw, and you only had a few seconds to get the sword out. I suspect another issue is cost. Longer swords would take a bit longer to make and might require better steel. When you'r equipping thousands of soldiers, keeping costs down helps. This also speaks to the simple handguards.

[@yungsouichi2317]

What about the spatha tho?

[@luisromanlegionaire]

@@yungsouichi2317 I think he made his point, not every legionaire had a spatha they mostly had the gladius.

[@kyomademon453]

@@yungsouichi2317 the spatha was used when rome was decadent, by that time the superb disciplined armies of rome were no longer a thing

[@dernwine]

@@luisromanlegionaire Later on most Romans legionaries carried a Spatha and Romes economy was weaker, so I doubt this is actually the case. Remember also that Rome didn't pay to equip legionaries the way a modern military does. A Roman Soldier was paid his wage, and he was expected to buy his own armour and weapons from that wage. Go on a spending spree and get the latest and bestest gear, or save it and put it aside for that retirement fund in 25 years? Difficult decision.

[@yungsouichi2317]

@@kyomademon453 nonsense, the legions were still a force to be reckoned with, even during the time of Aurelian, Diocletian and Constantine.

[@Dadecorban]

Also a Roman infantry formation should be considered "close quarters".

[@mattlentzner7141]

Certainly in their tactics as they are shock troops and not meant to fight in a static line. They were also better armored than most of their adversaries. The closer you are, the more of an advantage that becomes.

[@Dadecorban]

​@@mattlentzner7141 Please explain your point about a static line as the Romans often fought armies that did not maintain cohesive formations and thus by comparison the Roman lines could be considered static. (your point about them being better armored was made throughout the video?)

[@mattlentzner7141]

@@Dadecorban Who specifically are you thinking of that didn't fight in cohesive formations? When I say, "static" I mean the Germanic style of fighting from a shield wall which is immobile. A phalanx isn't strictly immobile but moves very slowly. Romans were IMO much more dynamic.

[@davidcarson7855]

@@mattlentzner7141 don't forget that the Germans and Norse were known for their throwing axes which tend to bounce unpredictably

[@jeffreyroot7346]

@@davidcarson7855 Not as effective as one might think. A psychological factor not decisive by itself.

[@gerrypowell2748]

I would prefer to have a short barrel weapon in close combat,therefore making the Gladius perfect for the way the Roman fought✌️

[@velazquezarmouries]

ballistic shield and pistol meet the roman

[@BrunoSkiba]

Unless you need to be quiet… the sword might be more advantageous.

[@stephenstiles2]

Another point : Romans often carried a Pilum, then drew their swords. Marching with a longer sword even in scabbard would be cumbersome as well as slower to draw in armor..

[@LovingTinha]

drawing their swords was never a problem, they had their swords in hand long before they engaged in combat. Unless you snuck up and attacked a soldier, then him drawing his weapon would be a factor.

[@SithLord2066]

That is correct, the gladius was part of a weapon *system* and not designed to be used by itself. The system consists of the gladius, scutum shield, lorica armor, and two Pila javelins (one light and one heavy).

[@richarddaugherty8583]

Absolutely correct, and to amplify, the pilum had a soft iron shaft on purpose. It was thrust and if blocked by the opponents shield, the barbed point lodged there and rendered that shield useless because of the weight. Also scutums were designed so that they could interlock. There was also a buddy system. You watched your buddy's weak side knowing the guy on your weak side was watching yours. The Romans didn't conquer the world by accident!

[@johngant3553]

The first AR-15 it also was used off the battlefield . In smaller spaces in a room this weapon was the because it was lighter....

[@michaelgray4964]

All of that, plus the identically armed soldiers in the line, all of whom have been trained to fight with in formation with those weapons and appropriate tactics. If it didn't work, Rome would never have held the territory that it did.

[@kronckew]

@@johngant3553 The AR-15 is only used OFF the battlefield as it is a semi-automatic civilian version of the M-16, the AR does NOT stand for Assault Rifle a common and deliberate 'mistake' by the anti-gun crowd. It stands for ARmalite, Or Armalite rifle, the manufacturer of the rifle that became the M-16. Even the cartridge it uses, the .223, is different than the military 5.56mm NATO round.

[@giefg551]

@@kronckew all that have nothing to do with swords. Except if you put a bayonet in front of it!!! Get a bayonet knife instead and talk about it!!

[@komitadjie]

A weapon to carry with all your well-disciplined buddies, walk slowly forward together behind your locked large shields, and get the point across.

[@craftpaint1644]

Get your point across, he he

[@komitadjie]

@@craftpaint1644 I'm glad someone got a chuckle out of that!

[@adfmaxtango]

una bola de boliche les arrancaria las piernas y adios testudo

[@matthewadams6800]

You really pushed that point haha.

[@nikolaidante3571]

Make sure it doesn't go over their jead

[@jsphfalcon]

The Roman method of war was a whole system. Sword, shield, skirmishes, and formations

[@gbrinfo]

Hi from France, I often watch your videos, especially about short swords . I am not in historical point of view but in modern point of view and defense while facing aggressors with knives indoor and the gladius is then more interesting . I bought the Honshu Gladiator Sword D2 option and it's very effective inside in the context of defense . I don't imagine aggressors with rapiers or something else but more with knives, clubs and machetes . Then the gladius is long enough but not too much, fast and easy to use for cutting .

[@jeffengel2607]

Would not be surprised if the gladius got used AS a machete when a legionnaire had to move through some brush - it's on hand, it's got the edge, the trooper isn't likely carrying something in addition that's any more appropriate. He may be wishing someone else had cut this stuff down ahead of him with something even more apt for it, but eh, the soldier ends up being the man for "go do that random simple necessary thing" all the time.

[@48mastadon]

I'm still waiting for the promised video of the French 1822 vs U.S.1840, 1860. Maybe I missed that one, but I don't think so.

[@RaymondKarlVeasey75]

I Absolutely Love The Basic Beauty Of The Roman Gladius.

[@pieromontemaggioreschreibe2615]

Raymond Karl Veasey basic and extremely effective.

[@secutorprimus]

I find it somewhat... inelegant in design. Effective, but rather brutish and ugly.

[@gatocles99]

@@secutorprimus Its elegance of design lies in its brutish effectiveness. War ain't pretty.

[@secutorprimus]

@@gatocles99 Yea, but there are prettier swords out there. Even simply designed ones, like messers, I find more aesthetically pleasing. The gladius just... doesn't look good to me.

[@gatocles99]

@@secutorprimus Yes, I agree, the gladius is ugly in comparison to many swords. Especially swords owned by wealthy noblemen. But name one thing in our modern militaries that looks good... aside from dress uniforms and dress words... it is all ugly, but very functional... the Romans were mass producing ugly weapons and armor for even uglier business... Pretty, does not mean useful.

[@chrisgaertner2155]

Matt, as someone working on assembling stories of fantasy fiction in various medieval (and even earlier) periods, I have often wondered about and researched the advantages and disadvantages of certain weapons, and therefore weapon sets. I for one, would indeed dearly love to see a video talking about ideal swords in 1v1 duels when shields are involved. For that matter, I wouldn't mind seeing other lists of this nature discussing how the list might change when types of armour (e.g. mail, plate, brigandine, or even non Eurocentric armour types) are involved in a similar context. Cheers from Canada! Love this channel.

[@krozilsteele7294]

"Armor drastically changes the context" Lawbringer: YAY! UBI: nope

[@Jacob-W-5570]

0:40 "On my channel I'm well known for" Matt my mind screamed: CONTEXT! but you didn't say that, I'm sligtly dissapointed.

[@germanvisitor2]

Also for wanting to use his butt agressively.

[@davidjoynson1774]

Surely the point of the Gladius was one of formation and discipline. If you have comrades on either hand, you cannot swing some great big beast of a sword, you need something compact and manageable in an enclosed environment.

[@kyle857]

Exactly.

[@audigex]

Yeah, the Gladius was a sword for close quarters formation combat... it’s a sword for the shield wall, not a loose skirmish the open field. It’s the same reason that the Norse and Anglo Saxons generally carried (if they could afford to), a long sword and a short sword (Seax) - because they regularly fought in both environments

[@thedoctrinetv]

This was very informative. Thank you.

[@danilocarvalho2114]

Great video, mate! Sure, I'd love to see another video like "Which sword is best in a one-on-one duel?..... Historical fencing". It was the first video I watched from your channel and it still one of my favourites. A sword-shield video comparison is not a bad idea. However, I've got another contest-like video suggestion: the best warrior of all time in one-on-one combat (eg.: Japanese Samurai vs Medival Knight or Roman Centurion vs Viking). What do you think? Cheers!

[@holyknightthatpwns]

I like the idea of a video that "quickly" goes through and talks about various contexts and which swords are better or worse in those contexts - more than just armor, you could also talk about formation fighting, cavalry battles, etc.

[@rasmusn.e.m1064]

Do the video Matt! Also, wouldn't a gladius be mildly useful in a similar context to Filipino weapons? If true, it's just to point out that some weapons can work outside of their intended context.

[@pentultimatearsehole9190]

As a practitioner of Kali and escrima, I will tell you absolutely that the gladius crosses over well!

[@Saanichian]

What I’ve learned about swords is that it’s best to avoid getting in fights with them.

[@LovingTinha]

smartest comment award goes to you my dear sir/madame

[@brendankennedy7831]

Well you got my subscription. Great video, quite insightful!

[@MisterKisk]

Never mind looking at the sword, you just have to read Roman sources which specifically talk about how good gladii are at cutting, by the accounts of butchering limbs from their opponents. That's the one thing people need to do more before they start talking about anything. READ THE SOURCES! Almost every important military text from the Roman period has been translated into English and you can find them online easily and for free. There is no excuse.

[@dernwine]

People read pop-history books that are badly researched or read wiki articles because.... primary source material is uncool? Don't know. At any rate, those books make mistakes, mistakes get popularised, and you get some idiot on the internet arguing with an Archaeology graduate because "This book says so so it must be right, wasted your degree there." Urch.

[@ChromeMan04]

Wow similar to a khyber

[@AL4RC0NR4MO5]

Would love to see a "Best Sword" video, but with the contexts of both medium to heavy armour, and small to large shields

[@piehound]

Very informative. I liked it. Thanks much.

[@stevenfraser1842]

The Galdias is a good sword to use with shields - saved you 15 minutes

[@gentlegiant6585]

Thank you!

[@peterv1318]

Thank you!

[@tinman1843]

You mean it's a good sword to use with shields while fighting in formation.

[@juanecheyt]

I actually love to hear everything he has to say about ancient weapons..... every single little thing..... no matter how much time it takes.

[@tonypepe9074]

Thankyou

[@METALLIFY16]

Its like asking if an M16 is a good rifle. In what context? Thats the key.

[@gurdjieff9282]

for killing rice pickers it is a great weapon.

[@zackgeorgly5099]

In what context would the M16 NOT be a good rifle? The only example I can think of is if you just don't get ammo for it when it's just a poor substitute for a club.

[@zackgeorgly5099]

@Lord Azreal Lais All right, I did not realize M16 was THAT different from M4.

[@8disillusion8]

ACR Bushmaster? Lol junk. Remington crap. I'll take my Tavor x95 over that anyday. Even my Bren 805. Oh, but keep pretending to know anything about guns 😂

[@GR-cf4qh]

Lot of answers here from keyboard warriors who have probably never held an M16, much less it’s different variations. In a lot of ways it’s a fantastic weapon. Extremely ergonomic, modular and with fantastic accuracy and optics mounting options. Reliability can be good if it’s clean, lubed and relatively new. The old, worn M16A1’s I first had to qualify on convinced me they were hopelessly unreliable. Later when we got M16A2’s the difference was night and day.

[@DakotaMilesO]

“Basically the more length you’ve got, the better it is” - Matt Easton 2019 That settles it, boys

[@raiderius_]

Is that why the Romans defeated the Greeks and Macedonians?

[@clxwncrxwn]

RAIDERIUS when you got strategy you don’t need fancy weapons.

[@raiderius_]

so... your saying the Greeks and Macedonians didn't have strategy?

[@chaseviking5096]

Length dosnt mean shit. Those who think length does are idiots who are over complicating for something.

[@adfmaxtango]

es claro que ese matts nunca peleo en un lugar cerrado

[@MrJoetron]

Thank you for your thoughtful analysis! Fantastic breakdown, and I agree on all points. Your discussion of the sword (1) as part of a weapon system (sword & shield), and (2) the presence of advanced armor as defining characteristics of essential context are spot on. To more robustly complete the gladius' evaluation, however, I think we must also (and just as importantly) consider (3) the individual soldier's role and position in a formation, and (4) the battlefield maneuvers/tactics of the formation itself. Who doesn't think of the shield walls and tortoise formations when thinking of Romans fighting? The maneuverability of the one-handed gladius inside those tightly packed formations, and its relative light weight and accompanying speed go a long way to making each soldier (and, therefore, the formation) more mobile, increases their fighting endurance through less weight encumbrance, and reduces the chances of fratricide in the melee.

[@johnfoster9226]

In a modern context the gladius would be viable in a home invasion scenario. Given your in a country where firearms are not common, the United Kingdom being a good example. Due to the process of obtaining even a section 1 licence and the required storing of said firearm in a vault separate from ammunition. In conjunction to routine checks by authorities storing a firearm in a state of easy access is too much risk of loosing your firearms and licence.

[@Warmaker01]

Fearsome Choppas! - Orkz When you mentioned the Gladius was part of a "system" I knew the video was going to be correct.

[@amindofiron]

That's a beautiful looking sword. looking forward to the review.

[@MooreFishing-ky3wq]

Just found your channel , excellent .

[@jasonfarley9025]

I certainly want to hear more on your thoughts about which sword/shield pairing is best. Perhaps you've done it by now, but at a glance I don't see it. So, YES!

[@demomanchaos]

Perhaps there should be two parts to the "best sword with a shield" video, one with something small like a buckler and one with a larger shield. A gladius and buckler wouldn't work as well as a gladius and scutum, but a scutum wouldn't be a good pairing for something like a tulwar.

[@RKNGL]

Friend: "If you were in a swordfight to death what sword would you bring?" Me: "Obviously a Gun-sword my good man" Him: 😑

[@barrysingh2872]

...because saying 'rapier' (which is basically a one handed spear) is so much better

[@emperorconstantine1.361]

Corrupted Archangel ...looked up historical Gun-Swords did ya? 👍

[@GR-cf4qh]

But would you though? At very short range, which you would expect within the confines of an apartment or house, would a gun provide any advantage over a sword? And how about a guns disadvantages? A sword is extremely unlikely to go through a wall and stab your neighbor.

[@yamiyomizuki]

@@GR-cf4qh this has been studied and there is in fact no convincing evidence that a gun is superior to a knife or baseball bat for home defense, swords have not been studied specifically but since it essentially combines the cutting and thrusting action of a knife with the reach of a bat and has a kinetic force somewhere in between the 2 i would assume it would also work.

[@Schwarzvogel1]

​@@yamiyomizuki Swords are a horrible choice for home defense, as are knives and baseball bats. Granted, if you are unfortunate enough to live in an area where you do need to worry about home invasions, and yet where your government doesn't trust mere plebians with anything more deadly than butter knives, then yes, anything is better than nothing. However, you'd also want to consider that your government would probably prosecute you just as harshly for running a man through with a rapier as they would if you gave him a facefull of #4 buckshot. But if you have the choice of a firearm for home defense, there is absolutely *no* reason why you should ever choose a knife or a baseball bat--if you do, you are a fool who will only get yourself and possibly those you live with killed.

[@ChinchillaofDoom]

Yess! do that video! please! ^^ if you ask me - do an entire series about which weapon/armor/siege engine/siege defence/battle strategy/warrior (class/type/period) is best for different contexts and why - i'd love that! definitely sounds like a job for 'Captain Context' haha

[@smea87]

Would love to see a best sword and shield video. Thanks for all you do

[@SovereignInvictus]

tl;dr: The gladius did not make Rome great; the way the Romans used the sword made the gladius great.

[@countberanz4353]

So it is not about the length, it is about how you swing it ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@virgosintellect]

Greek influence in education and profession guilds, are still exclusively institutional in the west. The Romans became strangers in their own country.

[@TheZebracakez]

Please do that video about which is the best sword IF shields are included. Please include axes and other alternative weapons to "swords" if time permits.

[@Caddrel]

A video on what is the "best" sword to pair with a shield would be awesome!

[@sarpkosutan9122]

😂😂 “If you use a gladius don’t use it without a shiel” just Incase Carthage tries to invade again mkay

[@widdershins5383]

Sarp Kosutan If you face an enemy that throws itself at you with no regard for its own safety, a melee weapon in a gunfight will always be useful. Also, if you get cut off and have no chance of resupply, knowing melee guerrilla tactics would be incredibly beneficial

[@Gunfreak19]

Matt, I'm reading the swordsmen of the British empire. Several accounts claim the tulwar(or lightsabre according the British) actually can cut through the barrel of a musket. Given you yourself couldn't cut through a rapier with various swords. This claim doesn't pass the sniff test.

[@stinkyfinn6977]

My grandad cut a American aircraft carrier in half with his katana at pearl harbor

[@ivymike2691]

Have some trouble hanging something on that back wall, Matt?

[@franl155]

hanks for this! I was actually looking for something entirely different when I noticed this and decided to check it out. Glad I did; interesting and informative. lol you proved that, very occasionally, size DOES matter!

[@colonelnord5260]

thanks... for the lecture :) good work !

[@theJellyjoker]

I get the feeling that long vs short is the sword worlds version of the gun world 5.56 vs 7.62

[@dvldog_]

Or 9mm vs .45.......

[@davidtuttle7556]

@@dvldog_ I prefer .44

[@philipzahn491]

Would you make a video about the dacian falx maybe? I think it's quite an unique weapon and was so effective against the Romans that they modified their helmets for it. But maybe a bit hard to come by as a replica...

[@derekdacus4437]

Not just helmets but added bracers and reinforced their greaves

[@PochocloEn3D]

PLEASE DO THAT VIDEO ABOUT FIGHTING WITH SHIELDS! THE WORLD NEEDS IT!

[@luketanner6373]

this was a great video. I wish there were visuals of the mentioned weaponry included through minimal editing. etc. Would've helped out a noob like me lol

[@AbstruseDesign]

The best sword for a 1v1 sword fight is the one you are the most familiar with and have the most practice with.

[@Witnessmoo]

For formation fighting, with big shields, wielded by disciplined and aggressive soldiers - it’s excellent. Once you get close into the enemy ranks, you basically become near unstoppable. They can’t wield their long spears and long swords, but you can use your short sword very effectively.

[@scottchadwick1517]

Congrats on the new house!

[@vanishinggates2371]

Drinking Game: Every time he says "Mkay" take A shot. All jokes aside, great video man! Lots of good and insightful info here!

[@MrManifolder]

The gladius was impressive, but it was only 1/3 of a weapon system consisting of scutum, helmet and gladius. Those three in combination allowed the Roman soldier to hold their ground against much larger and stronger opponents and most projectiles of the time. The scutum was the most remarkable piece of equipment of the three. It covers more of the body than any other shield and its plywood-like construction makes it relatively light for its size while retaining strength. The long rectangular shape combined with a center grip allows you to deliver a devastating long-range "punch" with the bottom of the shield. It is the perfect shield for closing the distance prior to the popularization of the sinew-composite bow. As for single combat, when the Romans were hard pressed during their conquest of Gaul, Caesar repeatedly told his men to "spread out" so that they had "room to fight," indicating that the Roman fighting style was likely capable of fighting one-on-one.

[@sempergumby3929]

A better question is this: Were the Roman Legions hampered by a deficiency in the standard sword used by its legionaries? or was it a net asset? The Roman military did indeed have weaknesses and deficiencies (as have every military organization that ever existed btw). Was the Gladius more of an asset as part of Rome's notable strengths OR more of a detriment as part of a notable weakness? These related questions cannot be answered outside the context of the physical makeup of the average legionary, the cultures and discipline levels of the legions and the organization, leadership and tactics employed. Last but not least is the consideration of the opposition that the sword (sheathed as well as unsheathed) would be used against. For example, it would not be relevent to criticize the Gladius as a substandard cavalry sword since the legions consisted primarily of infantry.

[@soarinpenguinlive6372]

A sword is a tool it status is built by the men who carried it is probably what the roman would tell you.

[@jjw5165]

Cavery used longer swards most of the time in roman army

[@randalglyph602]

Make the video about which sword is best if shields are involved. I definitely would love to see that!

[@Mightylcanis]

Please do a "best" sword+companion weapon video, it'd be a great video. Perhaps consider things like daggers as well, though I personally doubt it'll beat out a shield.

[@Kierkergaarder]

The tyrant Agathocles stymied all threat of rebellion from the citizens of Syracuse by tricking them and taking away their shields, not their armour or weapons. I think that Matt's point is very good that you need to see the gladius in context with a shield but to take it further: the scutum-gladius pairing (to take it further the pila and lorica hamata) shouldn't ever be considered separately. Together they form a weapons system that is effective, take away the scutum and you have something much less and 50% effective than the original pairing. Same could be said for removing Viking/Migration era shields away from Hearthweru or the hoplon/aspis from Greek citizens

[@MerlijnDingemanse]

I once read somewhere that the handheld weapont with the highest bodycount was the ak47, but that the second place was held by the gladius. No idea if it's actually true though

[@yamiyomizuki]

The part about the ak47 may well be true, the bit about the gladius is probably based on some very questionable estimqtes and convenient definitions since the bow and the spear were used more widely and for much longer than the gladius.

[@LovingTinha]

The Mongols alone had more of a body count, pretty sure they weren't using any of those, however a lot of that is just from butchering innocent people too, not sure what they were using for that, anything would do the job

[@supershane1960]

Like it, I loved it... Looking forward to seeing these as a set. Cheers for now mate... ;-}

[@slackerpope]

Oh yes, please do that video you mentioned. Answer the question: "What is the best sword when used with a shield?" You could even pick best combinations of sword and shield! Tons of material here. You could make several videos on this theme and we (the people) would appreciate all of them. Keep up the good work mate. You're the best!

[@portee9113]

Im surprised you didn't talk about timeframe very much. The romans used the gladius from like 200BC to 700AD..... waaaay before most of the swords you named were able to be invented.

[@damiankarol5675]

Till 700 AD? What? By the 3rd AD it was replaced with spatha and side weapon, semi-spatha.

[@yamiyomizuki]

Actually the chinese were already making n handed swords as early as 200bc

[@tristanoliver9577]

Imagine clicking on a 15 minute video then complaining about it being 15 minutes long. Respect the context my dudes.

[@dbmail545]

I have a replica gladius. It is the perfect length for thrusting: short enough to be stiff and handy while still long enough to keep from stabbing oneself when drawn fully back for a thrust. It was a backup weapon. The primary arms of Roman troops were the large shield and the spear. The gladius was more like a pistol than a rifle in its use.

[@brianfuller7691]

Both the gladius and the spatha were solid swords and did their respective jobs well. I personally prefer the spatha but both have defenders. You make a solid point that a sword made to be used by itself ( without scutum) excels when used by itself. The combination of gladius and shield was a formidable combination. Great video as always.

[@Kowalski089]

The best duelling sword used in conjuction with a shield does sound cool!

[@austinshoffman4651]

74 Centurion mains disliked this video. Also, came here from skallagrim. Glad I did. It's great how in depth your talks are

[@anthonysharp9136]

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the best bladed weapons to dual wield. would you prefer gladius over falchion? would you reverse grip your off hand weapon like Ahsoka? would you prefer a shorter weapon in one hand?

[@orionstark]

Yes. I do want to see a video about the best sword shield combinations for both 1 on 1 and battle situations.

[@charlesdexterward7781]

Me: "I can answer absolutely ANY weapons question you ask me, Matt.' Matt: "Ok, how about this: ." Me: "Depends on the context." Matt: "... Damn it. "

[@iopklmification]

"What weapon context is the best context ?"

[@JudoMateo]

Charles Dexter Ward The essential Saltes of Animals may be so prepared and preserved, that an ingenious Man may have the whole Ark of Noah in his own Studie, and raise the fine Shape of an Animal out of its Ashes at his Pleasure; and by the lyke Method from the essential Saltes of humane Dust, a Philosopher may, without any criminal Necromancy, call up the Shape of any dead Ancestour from the Dust whereinto his Bodie has been incinerated

[@Mindtrap028]

@@iopklmification You having one when your opponent doesn't.

[@spykezspykez7001]

I thought your gig was deeper, darker stuff. How’s the old squid these days, by the way? With the current ceasefire between our order (ordo malleus) and your dark brethren, it’s been quite... unsettling...