Falcata

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4th century BC Iberian falcata.

A falcata is a type of sword typical of Pre-Roman Spain (the Iberian Peninsula, modern Spain and Portugal), similar to the Greek kopis and possibly related to the kukri. It has a one edged blade that pitches forward towards the point, the edge being concave on the lower part of the sword, but convex on top. The hilt is typically hook-shaped, the end being stylized in the shape of a horse or a bird. There is often a thin chain connecting the tip of the hilt the upper section.

The term falcata is not ancient. It seems to have been coined by M. Fulgosio in 1872, on the model of the Latin expression ensis falcatus "sickle-shaped sword" (which, however, refers to the harpe). He presumably went with falcata rather than falcatus because the Spanish word for sword, espada is feminine. The name caught on very quickly, and is now firmly entrenched in the scholarly literature.

[edit] In Ancient Texts

Since "falcata" is not a term used in Classical Latin, it is difficult to tell when, or if it is being referred to in ancient literature. There is, however, one passage that is generally agreed to refer to this type of sword, in Seneca's De Beneficiis 5.24. In this passage a veteran is on trial for roughing up his neighbors in an argument over a road that ran near their properties. The trial comes before Caesar, and the veteran asks him if he remembers how a young soldier once brought him water in his helmet, when he (Caesar) was stuck under a tree with a sprained ankle, unable to get a drink for himself.

"Then, Imperator, you could recognize that man, or that helmet?" Caesar answered that he couldn't recognize the helmet, but certainly the man, and added, a bit irritated I think, "And you certainly are not him!"

"It's not surprising," said the man, "that you do not recognize me, Caesar; for when that happened I was whole. Afterwards, at Munda my eye was gouged out, and my skull smashed in. Nor would you recognize that helmet if you saw it: it was split by a Spanish saber (machaera Hispana). "

Caesar awarded the case to the veteran.