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Mainz Gladius
A Roman gladius besides its bronze sheath decorated with tin and gold. Made c. 15 CE and found near Mainz, Germany, from where this style of gladius gets its name. The Mainz gladius was longer and had a more triangular point than the older Hispaniensis type.
The ornate sheath depicts the Roman general (and future Roman emperor) Tiberius (r. 14 to 37 CE) symbolically ceding victory to Augustus (r. 27 BCE - 14 CE). The Roman war god Mars and the goddess Nike, the personification of Victory, are also pictured. It was likely commissioned by an officer of the Roman army to commemorate a victory over the Germanic people in the Alps region.
Blade: 57.5 x 7 cm ( 22.6 x 2.7 in), Sheath: 58.5 x 8.7 cm (23 x 3.4 in).
The British Museum, London.
Questions & Answers
What are the oldest weapons in the world?
- The oldest weapons in the world are spears, specifically the spears found in Schöningen, Germany in 1995 dated to c. 400,000 BCE
What were weapons originally made of?
- Weapons were originally made of wood and stone.
What is the oldest gun in the world?
- The oldest firearm found to date is the Heilongjiang Hand Cannon from China, dated to c. 1288.
What are the oldest swords in the world?
- The oldest swords in the world were discovered only in the 1980s at Arslantepe Mound in Turkey and date to c. 3300 BCE.
