Types of swords explained
This is a list of types of swords.
The term sword used here is a narrow definition. This is not a general List of premodern combat weapons and does not include the machete or similar "sword-like" weapons.
African swords
Northern African swords
Eastern African swords
Western African swords
Central African swords
Asian swords
Eastern Asian swords
China
See main article: Chinese sword.
Japan
See main article: Japanese sword.
Korea
See main article: Korean sword.
Southeastern Asian swords
Swords and knives found in Southeast Asia are influenced by Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and European forms.
Indonesia
Myanmar
Philippines
Thailand
Southern Asian swords
Bhutan
Bladed weapons of the Indian subcontinent
Sri Lanka
Western and Central Asian swords
- Acinaces (Scythian short sword)
- Chereb (modern Hebrew khérev): ancient Israelite sword mentioned 413 times in the Hebrew Bible.[1]
The Ancient Greeks and Romans also introduced various types of swords, see
- Ancient Europe
.
Post-classical period
All of the Islamic world during the 16th to 18th century, including the Ottoman Empire and Persia were influenced by the "scimitar" type of single-edged curved sword. Via the Mameluke sword this also gave rise to the European cavalry sabre.
Terms for the "scimitar" curved sword:
European swords
Ancient European swords
- Bronze Age European swords
- Harpe: mentioned almost exclusively in Greek mythology
- Iron Age European swords
- Falcata: one-handed single-edged sword – blade 48cm–60cmcm (19inches–20inchescm) – with forward-curving blade for slashing
- Falx: Dacian and Thracian one-handed or two-handed single-edged curved shortsword for slashing
- Gladius: Roman one-handed double-edged shortsword for thrusting (primary) and slashing, used by legionaries (heavy infantry)[2] and gladiators, and late Roman light infantry. 3rd century BCE Roman Republic – late Roman Empire.
- Kopis: one-handed single-edged sword – blade 48cm–60cmcm (19inches–20inchescm) – with forward-curving blade for slashing
- Makhaira: Greek one-handed, single-edged shortsword or knife for cutting (primary) and thrusting
- Pugio: Roman dagger
- Rhomphaia: Greek single-edged straight or slightly curved broadsword – blade 60cm–80cmcm (20inches–30inchescm) – for slashing (primary) and thrusting
- Spatha: Celtic/Germanic/Roman one-handed double-edged longsword – blade 50cm–100cmcm (20inches–00inchescm) – for thrusting and slashing, used by gladiators, cavalry and heavy infantry. 3rd century BCE Gaul/Germania – Migration Period.
- Xiphos: Greek one-handed, double-edged Iron Age straight shortsword
- Xyele: The short, slightly curved, one-edged sword of the Spartans.[3]
- Migration Period swords
- Spatha: continuation, evolved into
- Ring-sword (ring-spatha, ring-hilt spatha), Merovingian period
- Viking sword or Carolingian sword
- Krefeld type
Post-classical European swords
See main article: Oakeshott typology.
Modern European swords
North American swords
- U.S. regulation swords (sabres, and in some instances fascine knives shaped like short swords)
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: Strong's Hebrew: 2719. חָ֫רֶב (chereb) -- a sword . biblehub.com . 3 November 2022 .
- Encyclopedia: Romeinse Rijk §3.1 Landmacht . . 2002 . Microsoft Corporation/Het Spectrum . nl.
- https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0062%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DX%3Aentry+group%3D1%3Aentry%3Dxyele-harpers Harry Thurston Peck, Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities (1898), Xyele
