Roman Bronze Gladius Amulet

£ 75.00

A finely crafted miniature Roman bronze amulet in the shape of a gladius, the iconic sword of Roman soldiers. There is a hole pierced through the blade to allow for suspension, but also acts as a representation of a hole in the human body. Gladius amulets were believed to serve as protective charms for soldiers in battle and were sometimes awarded as symbolic tokens to soldiers injured in combat, akin to the modern-day Purple Heart medal.

Date: Circa 1st-3rd Century AD
Provenance: From the private collection of a New York, USA Gentleman.
Condition: Good. Visible patination.

SOLD

SKU: CFF-64 Category: Tag:

‘Gladius’ is the Latin term for a particular type of short sword that would have been used by Roman foot soldiers from the 3rd century BC up until the 3rd century AD. A Gladius used by a soldier would have typically been made from steel, not like this bronze amulet. The weapon would have been used for stabbing and slashing opponents and would have often been used alongside a shield known as a ‘scutum’.

Weight 4.2 g
Dimensions L 3 x W 0.9 x H 0.6 cm
Culture

Metal

Region

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