Spartan Swords - Size Doesn't Matter...If you are looking for reasonably priced and historically accurate Spartan swords, the best value for money piece is undoubtedly the Spartan Lakonian by Windlass Steelcrafts (pictured below).
In many respects, this is perhaps Windlasses most accurate replica of an ancient, pre-medieval sword. Though to be perfectly honest, at first glance the 14" blade seems just a little too, well, short...
Interestingly, such an observation was made by the ancient Athenians who often taunted the Spartans on the preferred lengths of their swords, saying they were so short that "a juggler could swallow them". And who could forget the famous old tale of a Greek son complaining to his mother that his sword was too short, where she dryly retorted for him to step forward to it...
The Spartan penchant for fighting with blades from 12 to 15" long is best summed up by Nicholas Sekunda in his book "The Spartans" where he explains: The sword was probably shortened to make it handier in the crush which ensued when the two phalanx lines met. Normal Greek swords were medium-sized cut and thrust weapons. When the spear was broken, they would normally be used overhand to slash at the head of the opponent.Regardless of the reasons for using such a short sword, the Spartan swords produced by Windlass Steelcrafts were copied from the book "The Spartan Army" and have a properly proportioned blade, a bronze grip, a simple and practical scabbard and in short (pardon the pun) are pretty much right on the money from an archeological point of view. Speaking of being right on the money, with an average online price tag of just US$143, it is also one of Windlasses cheapest pieces.
Where to Buy This Sword You can pick up this sword very cheaply at one of our recommended sellers Swords of Honor where it is available for just US$130.50.
I hope this information on Spartan swords has been helpful. To return to Modern Replicas of Ancient Swords from Spartan Swords - Size Doesn't Matter, click here.
|
