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Old 15th April 2006, 11:48 PM   #22
fernando
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Location: Portugal
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After all, the Sica was quite a famous weapon . Brought around by Thracians and Dacians, adopted by Romans and Zealots, everybody had a go at it. Forcingly there were several variations, but with the basic shape of a reaping device, so it seems. Here can be seen a Tracian Sica Supina, made in wood, for trainning purposes, found within the barracks of a Roman legion, in Oberaden. http://www.arsdimicandi.net/ad_1_0000b0.htm. Rudis is the name given by Romans for sword wood replicas, which can be either trainning pieces for the army exercises and gladiator rookies, as well as presentation swords to victorious gladiators, signifying they could retire from such tough business.
Dacian Sicas can be seen in Trajan's Column.http://cheiron.mcmaster.ca/~trajan/b...anpage.cgi?349
However i am personally convinced that the non combat Sica version, that one of Sicarius, be them Roman Sicarius, Zealot Sicarius, or the unamed Scum of the period, would be a shorter handy piece. Whether these concealed daggers were double or single edged, or simply free style, is something to be found out, as the chronicles do not coincide on this point.
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