Spathe (sword)
| Spathe (sword) | |
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| Information | |
| Weapon type: | sword |
| Use: | Cavalry and foot troop weapon |
| Creation time: | v. Chr. |
| Working time: | 1st century BC BC to approx. 6th century AD |
| Region of origin / author: |
not safe |
| Distribution: | Roman Empire , Germania |
| Overall length: | approx. 75–110 cm , varying |
| Blade length: | approx. 60–100 cm, varying |
| Blade width: | approx. 4–6 cm, varying |
| Weight: | approx. 1000 g |
| Handle: | Wood, horn, bone, ivory |
| Particularities: | later versions with worm damask blades, replaced the gladius in the Roman army, handle often like the gladius |
| Lists on the subject | |
The spathe ( plural Spathae , Latin for "broad blade") is a double-edged sword , primarily designed for cutting, one-handed sword with a straight blade. This sword shape existed around the 1st century BC. Until the end of the early Middle Ages. Over the centuries it appeared in various forms, in particular Germanic ring swords from the migration period to the popularly so-called "Viking swords".
etymology
Borrowed from the Greek, spatha denotes an elongated device for stirring medicines in Latin . In pharmacy and chemistry, such a device is now called a spatula , which is derived from spatula "small spathe".
The name lives on to this day in modern Greek σπαθί spathí and in Romance languages as the word for "sword", e.g. B. Spanish espada , Italian spada or French épée . In Albanian , too, shpata or shpatë means “sword” in an exact translation.
According to another hypothesis, the word was derived from the Greek city of Sparta, where it was considered a synonym for military. In the legions of late antiquity, this term, which was particularly widespread in the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire, was quickly adopted by the Germanic legionaries. The 'r' fell victim to a sound shift.
Origin and Distribution
The exact origin of the spathe is uncertain, but the weapon may go back to the Latène swords. According to this original thesis, Latène swords arrived in the 1st century BC. BC via Celtic cavalry troops recruited by Rome into the arsenal of the Roman army, where they were then further developed into spathe. At first the spathe was mainly used by the mounted auxiliary troops, at the latest in the 2nd century it was also used by the infantry of the Roman auxiliary troops and finally replaced the gladius among the regular troops in the course of the 3rd century .
The Roman spathe was between 75 cm and 110 cm long and always had a 4 to 6 cm wide blade of different cross-section with or without a fuller . The cutting edges ran parallel or with very little taper and were often selectively hardened. The place was mostly shaped like a point. The vessel was always made of organic materials such as wood and bone.
Even before the turn of the century, the Germanic tribes had adopted this type of sword from the Celts and began to develop it independently. The Germanic spathe had a blade that was about 5 cm wider, was usually between 90 and 100 cm long and around 1 kg in weight. The cutting edges were also mostly parallel, but the place was sharpened, but mostly rounded. In the further development, the spathe was initially provided with several narrow, at the latest from the Migration Period with a single wide groove on both sides of the blade. The vessel was initially also made of organic materials, but from the Migration Period onwards, metal parts were increasingly used, especially bronze, iron (often inlaid with silver ), cast silver and even gold.
With the Teutons, the spathe was initially a pure cavalry weapon. This was due not least to the immense cost of such swords due to the expensive steel, which were only affordable for wealthy warriors who could afford to own horses. Later, however, the weapon should also prove itself for foot troops. Nevertheless, the spathe was still reserved for the wealthier warriors of the upper class, especially since elaborately crafted defensive hangings (stylistically matching the vessel of the spathe) were indispensable as a status symbol. The spear , however, remained the general main weapon of all (free) classes.
Spathae, with all their decoration, were not purely representative weapons, but were made for combat. An exception to the rule may be the special form of the golden grip spatha , which is impractical to use .
In the course of late antiquity , the spathe was finally adopted by almost all peoples fighting in Europe, including z. B. the Huns and Sarmatians .
While the main focus of the arms industry during Roman times was still in the Noricum , this later shifted to the Rhineland, which was ruled by the Franks . There, active and well-known manufacturers such as “ Ulfberht ” emerged for centuries , whose blades were also in great demand abroad (and were even forged). A lively export trade had developed to Scandinavia until the Frankish rulers pronounced an export ban due to the increasing number of raids by the Vikings . However, this did not completely stop trading. A large part of the so-called “Viking swords” comes from the Rhineland, while in Scandinavia, even at that time, hardly any weapons of high quality were produced.
Spathae of the Pontic type
Parallel to the classic spathe forms, there was another form of double-edged long swords, the so-called Pontic sword , in the Pontic region, i.e. the Black Sea region . These swords are often considered to be an independent sword type alongside the spathe, but also referred to as the eastern or Pontic type spathe. The Pontic sword was in use in late antiquity and the early Middle Ages. Since around 200 AD, these double-edged, long swords replaced the previously common short ring pommel swords . The blade is relatively narrow and, with a length of up to 1.15 m, slightly longer than the typical spathe. The fishing rod is usually also relatively long. From the 5th century onwards, pronounced crossguards or handle crosspieces appeared on these swords for the first time. The quillons were apparently not only used to ward off enemy blows, but also supported the use of the sword in equestrian combat. Beads often seem to have been attached to a loop on swords. Some of the Pontic swords have very broad cloisonné- decorated quillons. These are mostly associated with the Huns.
Swords of the Pontic type were found in Pannonhalma ( Hungary ), in Vienna-Leopoldau or on the Taman Peninsula . Such swords have also become known in Western Europe. One example was found in Altlußheim , for example . The once very valuable weapon is characterized by a wide crosspiece decorated with almandine and was probably made in the eastern steppe zone in the 5th century. It is believed that it came west in the wake of the Huns Storm .
Worm-colored blades
While the Spathae consisted entirely of refined steel in the first centuries , the Germanic peoples began in the course of late antiquity with the development of elaborately damascene blades and perfected these techniques, just as the vessels were increasingly artfully designed, until finally, in the Merovingian period, the handcrafted one Zenith was reached.
The structure of such laminated and damascene blades was extremely variable. Typically, several twisted steel strips were welded on both sides of an elastic steel core in the fire, which in turn consisted of up to 21 steel layers welded together. The later visible drawing of these blades, which only became clear after the fine polishing (etching processes could not yet be proven), is partly due to different contents of phosphorus. Alloys could not yet be produced because the necessary melting temperatures could not be reached. So one was dependent on the small metallic accumulations that could arise in the racing fire. However, welds between iron and steel form a clear contrast when etched. In turn, cutting edges made of carbon-containing refined steel were attached to this blade body and often also selectively hardened - cutting edge hardnesses of up to approx. 60 HRC are assumed . The complexity of such a blade is second to none. The purpose of this lamination was to combine the greatest possible hardness and flexibility. Since the steel produced in Rennöfen was still very impure at this early stage of development, it had to be homogenized and cleaned by frequent folding and welding. So the damascene initially had no predominantly aesthetic reasons, rather the finished blades were polished so bright that the damask pattern was only visible on closer inspection.
An impressive document for the quality of these swords is a letter from the Ostrogoth king Theoderich , in which he thanked them - probably around the year 500 - for a gift from the Thuringians or Vandals :
“Together with black trunks of bog oak and local blond boys, your brotherhood has selected swords for us that are even able to cut through armor, and which I praise more for their iron than for the gold on them. So brilliant is their polished clarity that they mirror the faces of those who look at them with precise clarity. Their cutting edges run so evenly towards the tip that one would assume that they were not made with files, but formed in a melting furnace. The middle section of their blades, skilfully grooved, appears to have been curled with a small worm, and here are so varied shadows that one would like to believe that the shiny metal is interwoven with many colors. This metal is ground on your whetstone and polished so vigorously with your shiny powder that its steely sheen becomes a mirror of men. This powder is granted you among the natural treasures of your land, so that its possession may bring you unique glory. One would like to mistake such swords in their beauty for the work of Vulkan, of which it is said that he refined his craft with such skill that everything that was designed by his hands seemed to be made not with human but with divine power . "
The expression worm-colored , which is used today in connection with damascened spathe, goes back to this letter.
In the following the swords were damascened until around the year 1000; From this point onwards, refined steel of sufficient quality could be produced in larger quantities using improved methods. The weapons were, to a certain extent, refined and could therefore be produced in larger numbers at lower costs, but still in usable quality. At the same time, the vessels were also made much simpler and therefore cheaper. The art of the worm-colored damascene was completely lost from the 11th century onwards and was only possible with the help of modern archeology, e.g. B. using the sword of Sutton Hoo , can be reconstructed.
Geometry and evolution
The handles are striking, as they are extremely short and hardly manageable in the eyes of the layman. In fact, however, the handling of the spathe differs from that of other swords in that the hand grasps the handle at an angle, with the ball of the hand resting on the pommel.
Over the centuries, the geometry of the Germanic spathe changed little. As before, it remained with parallel striking edges and a total length of 90-100 cm, of which about 10 cm is accounted for by the handle (the handle), and a weight of 900-1000 g (only a few individual specimens weighed well over 1 kg) . Thanks to their low weight and a blade that thins evenly towards the spot, such spatheas have always been very agile and manageable.
Only from around the 9th century were careful changes made, especially in the form of evenly tapered blades, which were then up to 6 cm wide at the base, but were still designed as pure cutting swords. The physical properties and thus the handling did not change significantly.
Viking age swords
The so-called Viking swords are the direct successors of the Spathae during the Migration Period and are still part of the Spathae category. They are usually a little longer and heavier than their predecessors. The first forms that can be assigned to this category date from the 7th and 8th centuries. These swords were not typical weapons of the Vikings, but were used in large parts of Europe. The best swords of this time come from the Franconian empire of the Carolingians and were made by well-known blacksmith manufacturers such as Ulfberht . The name can be found on many swords from this era. From around 900 the center of gravity of these weapons shifts towards the handle, which is achieved by a blade shape that tapers towards the tip. The swords of the Viking Age are gradually transformed into knights' swords. The last forms were used until around the year 1100.
Geibig distinguishes the following types of blades from classic Viking swords:
- Type 1: 7th to 8th centuries; parallel cutting edges
- Type 2 and 3: approx. 750-1000; similar to type 1 but slightly narrower chamfer
- Type 4: approx. 950-1050; Blade and groove tapering slightly towards the tip
- Type 5: approx. 950-1100; long blade, tapering towards the tip
Type 1 is a transition form to the Spatha during the Migration Period, while types 2–5 are transition forms to the knight's sword. The blade length varies in type 1–4 between 63 and 85 centimeters. Type five is slightly longer with a blade length of 84–91 cm. These Geibig types partly overlap with the types of the Oakeshott classification . Geibig's Viking sword types 2–4 basically represent fine gradations of the Oakeshott type X, while Geibig's type 5 corresponds roughly to the Oakeshott type Xa. In Viking graves of the 10th century, swords with large quillons, which could be referred to as knight swords, can already be found. As a special form of the Viking sword, one also knows individual single-edged swords that were used in the early Viking Age.
The end of the spathe era
From the 10th century, the spathe gradually changed to the broadsword, which can be described as the classic knight's sword. The blade here is often a little longer and, in contrast to the classic spathe, at least in the later forms, often tapered. The cross-guard is significantly enlarged to protect the sword hand during parades, which is why the cross-shape of the high medieval sword is better suited for fighting without a round shield. The pommel is also more pronounced than that of the spathe. The classic Viking swords or Carolingian swords represent in a certain way transitional forms between spathe and broadsword, but here are counted as spathe.
Ultimately, the high medieval one-handed knight swords were only modified spathe and the basic concept was very similar. The one-handed Oakeshott types X-XIII, which were widespread between AD 900 and 1350, differ relatively little in blade shape from the spathe. In contrast to classic spathe, the blade tapers slightly towards the tip. In addition, the fillet of sword types XI-XIII is significantly narrower and shorter. In particular, knight swords of the type X, which were common from 900–1200, hardly differ from spathae with their wide flutes reaching almost to the point and the quite parallel cutting edges in the blade shape. Until then, relatively light armor such as chain mail was predominant. From the 12th century, however, the long-known crossbow had been improved in the course of the Crusades and now developed such penetrating power and accuracy that even inexperienced shooters could kill an armored professional warrior with a single shot. This condition was unbearable for the knight nobility and forced an improvement in body protection. The new, heavier armor was significantly improved from 1300 onwards and developed into plate armor that was difficult to defeat with sword blows. In the period that followed, swords developed that were more suitable for thrusting, tapered to a point and also had a diamond-shaped blade cross-section instead of a spherical (convex) cross-section. These swords finally deviate from the spathe concept. In addition, various new types of swords such as the hand -and-a-half sword were developed from the one-handed sword in order to overcome the new types of armor.
The last Viking swords, and thus Spathae in the broader sense, appeared until the end of the 11th century. Overall, the sword shape had proven itself for at least around 1400 years, which is remarkable in historical weapon technology in general and unique for swords in particular worldwide.
literature
- Manfred Sachse : Damascus steel: myth, history, technology, application . Stahleisen, Düsseldorf 2008, ISBN 978-3-514-00750-5 ( d-nb.info [PDF; 250 kB ]).
- Christian Miks: Studies on Roman sword armament in the imperial era . In: Cologne studies on the archeology of the Roman provinces . No. 8 . Leidorf, Rahden / Westf. 2007, ISBN 978-3-89646-136-0 (dissertation, University of Cologne, 2004).
- Jens Essig: The spathe. Historical consideration of a successful model . Munich 2006 (lecture script).
- Ian G. Peirce: Swords of the Viking age: catalog of example . Boydell Press, Woodbridge, UK / Rochester, NY 2002, ISBN 0-85115-914-1 (English).
- Ewart Oakeshott : Records of the medieval sword . Boydell Press, Rochester, NY, USA 1991, ISBN 0-85115-539-1 (English).
- Wilfried Menghin : The sword in the early Middle Ages . Theiss, Stuttgart 1983, ISBN 3-8062-0362-8 .
- Konrat Ziegler , Walther Sontheimer (ed.): The little Pauly . No. 5 . Druckmüller, Stuttgart 1975, p. 299-300 .
- Ulrich Lehmann: Worm-colored blades. Studies on the construction, manufacture and value of the early medieval spathe in Westphalia . Aschendorff, Münster 2016, ISBN 978-3-402-15009-2 .
- Ulrich Lehmann: From ore to sword - an early medieval spathe from Beckum is being reconstructed . Archeology for Westphalia, Antiquities Commission for Westphalia, Langenweißbach 2015, p. 258–260 ( uni-heidelberg.de [PDF; 1.9 MB ]).
Web links
- Worm-colored sword: A reconstruction in the early medieval forge LWL- Aräologie for Westphalia on YouTube
Individual evidence
- ↑ M. Aleksic: Some typological features of Byzantine spatha. In: Zbornik radova Vizantoloskog Instituta. Volume 47, 2010, pp. 121-136.
- ↑ Brand piracy in the Middle Ages: Vikings fell for cheap sword copies Spiegel Online, February 16, 2009
- ↑ a b Joachim Werner: sword, bow, saddle, nagaika and bridle; A. The double-edged long sword . In: Contributions to the archeology of the Attila Empire . 38 A. Bavarian Academy of Sciences, Munich 1956 (dissertation).
- ↑ Bodo Anke, László Révész, Tivadar Vida: Horsemen in the early Middle Ages: Huns - Avars - Hungarians . Theiss, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-8062-2014-8 .
- ^ A b Philipp Rummel: Habitus barbaricus: Clothing and representation of late antique elites in the 4th and 5th centuries . In: Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde, supplementary volumes . No. 55 . de Gruyter, Berlin 2007, ISBN 978-3-11-019150-9 , p. 346 .
- ↑ 1) Cf. Cassiodori Varia III, 3: Epistula uniformis talis ad Erulorura regem, ad Guarnorum regem, ad Thoringorum regem, and V, 1: Kegi Warnorum Theodericus rex.
- ↑ H. Föll: Magic swords. Technical Faculty of the Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, accessed on October 25, 2012 .
- ↑ a b c Thomas Laible: The sword - myth and reality. Wieland Verlag, Bad Aibling 2006, ISBN 978-3-938711-05-7 .