Another stab at flyssa origins

fearn · 22nd October 2009, 12:26 AM

Hi All,

Random thought. I was answering Queequeg's post on that movie scythe thingie, and I looked up Wikipedia's article on the rhomphaia. I'd looked at it before, but this time I got a weird idea: what if the rhomphaia inspired the flyssa? See the pictures below.

The blades are somewhat similar, especially the later Byzantine model that was straight. The handles are not similar. The interesting thing is the timing. The Byzantines were using the rhomphaia ("one-edged sword of heavy iron which [the Varangian Guards] carry suspended from the right shoulder") up til 1000 AD, roughly. This is a lot more current than the Celtic swords we were talking about in the last discussion of flyssa origins. Also, the Varangian guards were Norsemen from Sweden and Denmark, and one could hypothesize that they sailed by the Mediterranean coast to and from work in Constantinople. This might have spread their sword designs along the Mediterranean shores, perhaps even into Morocco? I can better believe that the flyssa was inspired by some medieval/byzantine weapon than by celtic sword designs.

Wild speculation, of course, but it *is* fun.

Comments?

F

22nd October 2009, 12:26 AM	#1
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Another stab at flyssa origins Hi All, Random thought. I was answering Queequeg's post on that movie scythe thingie, and I looked up Wikipedia's article on the rhomphaia. I'd looked at it before, but this time I got a weird idea: what if the rhomphaia inspired the flyssa? See the pictures below. The blades are somewhat similar, especially the later Byzantine model that was straight. The handles are not similar. The interesting thing is the timing. The Byzantines were using the rhomphaia ("one-edged sword of heavy iron which [the Varangian Guards] carry suspended from the right shoulder") up til 1000 AD, roughly. This is a lot more current than the Celtic swords we were talking about in the last discussion of flyssa origins. Also, the Varangian guards were Norsemen from Sweden and Denmark, and one could hypothesize that they sailed by the Mediterranean coast to and from work in Constantinople. This might have spread their sword designs along the Mediterranean shores, perhaps even into Morocco? I can better believe that the flyssa was inspired by some medieval/byzantine weapon than by celtic sword designs. Wild speculation, of course, but it is fun. Comments? F Attached Images