{"product_id":"rb1404","title":"An Important Iberian Antenna Hilt Short Sword and Scabbard, ca. 4th - 3rd century BCE","description":"\u003cp\u003ea fine example of type VI, Arcobriga Antenna sword, the acutely pointed, double-edged leaf blade with twin fullers running parallel to the cutting edges and merging to a point, the heavy iron handle with a\u003cspan\u003e pommel featuring twin projecting boss \"antenna\" terminals\u003c\/span\u003e.  With accompanying scabbard, originally constructed of wood supported by a rigid iron frame and embossed plates, three rotating rings used to attach the weapon to a baldric.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBackground\u003c\/strong\u003e:  It is widely held the prototype for the Roman \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003egladius hispaniensis\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was a variation of an Iberian Sword.  \u003c\/span\u003eThe Souda, a Byzantine lexicon compiled at the end of the 10th century, mentions the adoption of an Iberian sword by the Republican Romans from the Second Punic War onwards.  It states the main characteristic of this sword was the pattern-welding of the blade (\u003cem\u003elamna\u003c\/em\u003e) which was forged in several hard layers of steel and was used for both \u003cspan\u003eedgewise cutting and \u003c\/span\u003ethrusting in dense fighting formations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eScholars have proposed numerous alternatives for such a prototype, the most widely held opinion being a variation of the Hispanic antennae sword, namely the type VI, Arcobriga (Quesada, 1997), \u003cspan\u003eused in the Meseta during the 3rd-2nd centuries BC,\u003c\/span\u003e because the short size was suitable for close-order fighting and the wasted blade was capable of a slashing action.   However, Sanz argues the Roman Republican swords recently discovered in Delos, France, and the Iberian Peninsula are virtually identical to the early La Tene I swords imported from Europe throughout the 3rd century BC  (Sanz, JRMES, 8, 1997, pp.268) and therefore provide a more relevant parallel.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn the other hand, the Iberian metal frame scabbard (with wooden or leather core) as seen here, suspended by rotating rings from a baldric placed across the chest, is, without doubt, precisely the model of scabbard adopted by the Roman Army. \u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003ci\u003eReference: \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eB. Cunliffe, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Ancient Celts\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, London, 1999, p. 140, fig. 109 for the type.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eF. Quesada Sanz,\u003c\/span\u003e \"\u003cem\u003eGladius hispaniensis: an archaeological view from Iberia\u003c\/em\u003e\", J\u003cspan\u003eournal of Roman Military Equipment, \u003cspan\u003e8, 1997,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e 251-70.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eM. C.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBishop\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and J. C. N. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCoulston\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e,\u003cem\u003e \"\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eRoman Military Equipment\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003e from the Punic Wars to the Fall of Rome, 2nd Ed\"\u003c\/em\u003e (London,  2006) pp. 54-56.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRaffaele D'Amato, Graham Sumner, \"\u003cem\u003eArms and Armour of the Imperial Roman Soldier: From Marius to Commodus, 112 BC-AD 192.\u003c\/em\u003e \"  (London:  Frontline, 2009).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition\u003c\/strong\u003e:  Both sword and the scabbard have been professionally conserved and mounted to museum standards to ensure no further loss or damage.  Overall the sword is intact and in excellent condition, it has some expected minor loss to the blade edge, sword point, and guard terminals, minor bowing to the blade.   The scabbard lacks the lower section of the outer frame, with traces of the original wood core still found inside the frame.  The full conservation report will be included with this sale.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions\u003c\/strong\u003e:  Length: (Sword) 40.64 cm (16 inches) Length: (Scabbard) 34.29 cm (13.5 inches) \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProvenance\u003c\/strong\u003e:   Private NYC collection, acquired from the \u003cspan\u003eAlex G. Malloy collection,\u003c\/span\u003e 1980-82.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Arte Primitivo","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40552164884524,"sku":"RB1404","price":9243.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0303\/3933\/4188\/products\/RB1404_2.jpg?v=1659509652","url":"https:\/\/qrack-shop.myshopify.com\/en-gb\/products\/rb1404","provider":"qrack shop ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}