ROMAN DRESS DAGGER H-71China Complete your ancient weapon collection with this affordable dagger! This replica Roman dress dagger wile in its scabbard measures over 14", and features an embossed 440 stainless steel double edged blade. The intricately detailed cast metal handle offers beautiful artwork of blacked silver highlighted in gold. A matching metallic sheath adds its complement in design and beauty by framing the unique blade medallion when the blade is sheathed. The knife grip is of chrome finished plastic and supported with cast metal alloy hilt pommel and grip spacer. Adorned with ornate blade, pommel, guard, and sheath fittings, this highly fashionable silver and gold toned Roman Dress dagger is a wonderful prize for any collector or Roman era enthusiast.
• Overall Length: 13 1/4" • Blade Length: 8 1/8" • Handle Length: 5.1/2" • Blade Edge: Sharpened • Blade Material: 440 Stainless Steel • Blade Width at Guard: 1 3/8" • Blade Thickness at Guard: 1/16" • Hilt: Cast metal silver w/gold accents • Scabbard:Plastic body w/alloy fittings • Dagger Weight: 11.6 oz • Scabbard Weight: 5.6 oz
Specs may vary slightly from piece to piece.
The Roman Dagger Like the gladius, the dagger, also known as "pugio", was a stabbing weapon of the type preferred by the Romans. Of them Vegetius says: "A stroke with the edges, though made with ever so much force, seldom kills, .... On the contrary, a stab, though it penetrates but two inches, is generally fatal. ... the body is covered while a thrust is given, and the adversary receives the point before he sees the sword". This was the method of fighting principally used by the Romans. The dagger was a common weapon of assassination and suicide; for example, it is recorded that the conspirators who stabbed Julius Caesar used pugiones.
The pugio was a small dagger used by Roman soldiers as a sidearm. It seems likely that the pugio was intended as an auxiliary or backup weapon, but it found many uses, especially as a utility knife. The Roman Pugio was often highly decorated and were clearly a status symbol. Officials of the empire took to wearing these ornate daggers in the performance of their offices, and some would wear concealed daggers as a defense against contingencies.