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Facsimiles Gladiorum
Posted:
Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:15 amby Valerius Claudius Iohanes
Salvete, Veterani -
Any suggestions as to where to get a nice, fairly accurate facsimile of a gladius on the cheap? I've been hunting on the Internet, found only one page that had affordable pricing. Grateful for any and all suggestions.
Valete.
Posted:
Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:44 pmby Cleopatra Aelia
The Indian shop
www.deepeeka.com makes replicas of Roman weapons and armor, due to the help of the members of Roman Army Talk the stuff becomes more authentic. Deepeeka has distributors all over the world who sells the stuff locally. My military gladius (which I bought for training before I started with the gladiator thing) is from Deepeeka but still of the older type which has a minor fault at the handle (it's too long). My gladiator gladius is not from Deepeeka and I bought it through an online shop so I don't know who the smith is.
Quaerens gladium...
Posted:
Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:00 amby Valerius Claudius Iohanes
Salve, Cleopatra Aelia,
Gratiasque ago. That one outfit with good pricing may well have been offering something from Deepeeka. In case I missed it, I'll check at Deepeeka's own site.
Vale bene, gladiatrix!
Non-recommend
Posted:
Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:26 amby Aldus Marius
Salve, mi Iohanne!
Avoid Museum Replicas.
Oh, my Gladius from them is okay, if all I want to do is show the Faire nerds that I've got one; they make me peace-tie it, so it never leaves the scabbard and nobody sees the oh-what-the-hell blade. It's not that MR's suppliers don't have the skill to make an accurate one; their helmets are exquisitely crafted...and exquisitely wrong.
I think it's the attitude. Their original resident Expert, Ewart Oakshott, had medieval swordcraft down to a science. But he was flatly dismissive of the Romans when he bothered to mention us at all. This seems to have seeped into the "corporate culture" as just not caring enough to get our stuff right. A pity, then, that they're making so much more Roman stuff than they used to...and attracting an ever-growing chorus of reenactor howls with every new release.
The clothing's much the same story; it's either period patterns done in non-period fabrics (satin; poly-cotton blends...), or good fabric wasted on Hollywood designs. Pour me another round of frustration, easy on the ice...
Their selection in general has become more and more wedded to the movie industry: Spartans, Templars and pirates dominate this month's catalogue.
Sigh...(but see Collegium Artium-->Roman Humor for a True Story about my sword.)