Makhaira
| Makhaira | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| Weapon type: | sword |
| Designations: | Makhaira |
| Use: | Military weapon |
| Region of origin / author: |
Persian |
| Distribution: | Greece, Persia |
| Overall length: | 70 cm |
| Blade length: | 60 cm |
| Material: | iron |
| Handle: | Wood, leather |
| Lists on the subject | |
Makhaira was a large curved knife from Persia that later spread throughout ancient Greece .
etymology
Makhaira comes from the Greek word μάχαιρα (= máchaira). This is derived from μάχη / máchē (= "battle") or μάχεσθαι / máchesthai (= "fight").
Description and use
The Makhaira was a single-edged knife with a forward curved blade made of iron. The handle was made of iron wrapped in leather and turned into a pommel.
The sword was more suitable for cutting than for stabbing and was v. a. used by horsemen, while the infantry tended to use the widely used xiphos .
history
This weapon originally came from Persia in the 5th century BC. BC and spread as a popular equestrian weapon throughout Greece. Xenophon describes the Makhaira in one of his works. This weapon was also spread in Asia via the empire of Alexander the Great .
See also
literature
- Xenophon : Hipparchikós. Treatise on the duties of an equestrian officer.
- Peter Connolly : The Greek Armies. Tesslofverlag, Hamburg 1981, ISBN 3-7886-0181-7 .