Illustration
A Roman gladius besides its bronze sheath decorated with tin and gold. Made c. 15 CE and found near Mainz, Germany, from where this style of gladius gets its name. The Mainz gladius was longer and had a more triangular point than the older Hispaniensis type.
The ornate sheath depicts the Roman general (and future Roman emperor) Tiberius (r. 14 to 37 CE) symbolically ceding victory to Augustus (r. 27 BCE - 14 CE). The Roman war god Mars and the goddess Nike, the personification of Victory, are also pictured. It was likely commissioned by an officer of the Roman army to commemorate a victory over the Germanic people in the Alps region.
Blade: 57.5 x 7 cm ( 22.6 x 2.7 in), Sheath: 58.5 x 8.7 cm (23 x 3.4 in).
The British Museum, London.
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Gladius Hispaniensis
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Cite This Work
APA Style
Museum, B. (2021, March 01). Mainz Gladius. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/13509/mainz-gladius/
Chicago Style
Museum, British. "Mainz Gladius." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified March 01, 2021. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/13509/mainz-gladius/.
MLA Style
Museum, British. "Mainz Gladius." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 01 Mar 2021, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/13509/mainz-gladius/. Web. 21 Apr 2025.
