ROMAN PUGIO/DAGGER 22-4101NQ by DENIX
This Roman Pugio/dagger and scabbard are finely engraved with Imperial Eagles, Lion, and Wolf nursing the founders of Rome Romulus and Remus. Dagger and features a metal handle and false edge cast metal alloy blade, and matching two tone scabbard. KEY FEATURES: * Safe for display* Replicates an original MEASUREMENTS: BLADE LENGTH: 10 inches HANDLE LENGTH: 5 inches OVERALL LENGTH: 15 inches WEIGHT: 2lb THICKNESS: .400 inches * Perfect piece for the collector

The Roman Pugio
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.

Like the gladius, the pugio was a stabbing weapon, 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.