Talk:Falx

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Contents 1 Derivation 2 No scythe 3 Reinforcing crest 4 MInor language clarification 5 Sica / Falx 6 Development of the Falx

[edit] Derivation

"It is most likely derived from the scythe, as it resembles one with its blade rotated 90 degrees."

I don't where this comes from, is it just an assumption based on the shape? The article scythe says that it was not invented until the 12/13 century, besides I have seen some 19th C scythes and they are way to thin and flimsy for a falx.

[edit] No scythe

From what i can gather from all the numerous and innacurate sources out there on these weapons the Falx and its cousin the Rhomphaia were most likely developed from a spear like weapon. Extend the blade of a spear and you have something resembling a polearm, its not really too hard to imagine a course of evolution taking it from a double edged weapon to a single edged one and from there adding a curve to increase the cutting power. The actual shape and size of the weapon simply does not fit with it having derived from a scythe.

[edit] Reinforcing crest

I have deleted the following text which was recently added:

(the romans added a reinforcing crest to thier standard pattern helmets to defeat this devastating weapon).

I am not sure what the author means by "crest". Roman helmets had long had a reinforced brow, but this predated encounters with a falx by hundreds of years. What did change, was the addition of straps to the helmets - this is alread mentioned in the article. Gaius Cornelius 16:55, 7 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] MInor language clarification

Changed all instances of "double handed" to "two-handed" Will scarlet 42 03:25, 2 November 2006 (UTC)Will_scarlet_42 1 Nov 2006

[edit] Sica / Falx

The first site used for references (http://www.gk.ro/sarmizegetusa/ranistorum/site_eng/arma.html) states that the short version of the weapon (one-handed) was called "sica" and the long one (two-handed) was called the "falx".

Also, on a page with comments about the engravings of Trajan's Column, the word "sica" is used to refer to the short weapon. Exeprime 17:33, 8 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Development of the Falx

This article: http://www.romanarmy.net/manica.htm has an interesting hypothesis that the manica was not necessarily developed as the result of the Dacian wars. Maybe this information could be incorporated somehow? —Preceding unsigned comment added by L clausewitz (talk • contribs) 17:52, 18 January 2008 (UTC)