A typical falx

Falx is a latin word originally meaning sickle, but was later used to mean any of a number of tools that had a curved blade that was sharp on the inside edge such as a scythe. Falx was also used to mean a weapon, particularly that of the Tracians and Dacians, and later a siege hook used by the Romans themselves. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1025x236, 68 KB) Drawn by Bogdan Giuşcă in XaraX File links The following pages link to this file: Falx ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1025x236, 68 KB) Drawn by Bogdan Giuşcă in XaraX File links The following pages link to this file: Falx ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... Using a sickle A sickle is a curved, hand-held agricultural tool typically used for harvesting grain crops before the advent of modern harvesting machinery. ... Using a scythe A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing and reaping grass or crops. ... The bayonet, still used in war as both knife and spearpoint. ... Thrace (Greek Θρᾴκη Thrákē, Bulgarian Тракия Trakija, Turkish Trakya) is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe spread over southern Bulgaria, northeastern Greece, and European Turkey. ... Dacia, in ancient geography the land of the Daci, a subtribe of the Getae, was a large district of Central Europe, bounded on the north by the Carpathians, on the south by the Danube, on the west by the Tisa (Tisza river, in Hungary), on the east by the Tyras... A siege hook is a weapon used to pull stones from a wall during a siege. ...

Dacian falx

The Dacian falx came in two sizes: single and double handed.

The double-handed falx was a pole-arm. It consisted of a three-feet long wooden shaft with a long curved iron blade of nearly-equal length attached to the end. The blade was sharpened only on the inside, and was reputed to be devastatingly effective. However, it left its user vulnerable because, being a two-handed weapon, the warrior could not also make use of a shield. It may be imagined that the length of the double handed falx allowed it to be wielded with great force, the point piercing helmets and the blade splitting shields - it was said to be capable of splitting a shield in two at a single blow. Alternatively, it might used as a hook, pulling away shields and cutting at vulnerable limbs. Image: Reconstructed falx - demonstration. A pole weapon or polearm is a close combat weapon with the main fighting part of the weapon placed on the end of a long shaft, typically of wood. ...

The time of the conquest of Dacia by Trajan is the only known instance of the Roman army adapting personal equipment while on campaign, it seems likely that this was a response to this deadly weapon. Roman legionaries had reinforcing iron straps applied to their helmets - it is clear that these are late modifications because they are roughly applied across existing embossed decoration. Roman armour of the time left limbs unprotected; Trajan introduced the use of leg and arm protectors (greaves and manica (arm guard)). The Dacian Wars were two short wars between the Roman Empire and Dacia during Emperor Trajans rule (A.D. 98 - 117). ... Emperor Trajan Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus (September 18, 53 – August 9, 117), Roman Emperor (98-117), commonly called Trajan, was the second of the so-called Five Good Emperors of the Roman Empire. ... A greave (from 12th century French greve shin, of uncertain origin) is a piece of armour that protects the leg. ...

Trajan's column is a monument to the emperor’s conquest of Dacia. The massive base is covered with reliefs of trophies of Dacian weapons and includes several illustrations of the double handed falx. The column itself has a helical frieze that tells the story of the Dacian wars. On the frieze, almost all the Dacians that are armed, have shields and therefore cannot be using a double handed falx. Unfortunately, the exact weapon of those few shown without shields cannot be determined with certainty. Image. Trajans Column. ...

The frieze of Trajan's column also shows Dacians using a smaller, sword sized falx.

Thracian falx

The Thracians also made use of the falx. They also used the rhomphaia, a weapon very similar to the two handed falx but much less drastically curved. This article does not cite its references or sources. ...

Development

The two handed falx is clearly related to the Thracian rhomphaia. It is a derivative of both the sword and the spear, having evolved from a spear to a polearm before becoming more drastically curved to facilitate a superior cutting action. This drastic curve rendered the falx as a purely offensive weapon to be used against a broken or routing force. Typically, an enemy would be broken by a sustained hail of missile fire from javelin/dart, bow, sling, and stone throwing troops before being chased down and cut to pieces by the falx wielding troops. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... A pole weapon or polearm is a close combat weapon with the main fighting part of the weapon placed on the end of a long shaft, typically of wood. ...

It is tempting to imagine that the two-handed falx was somehow developed from the scythe, perhaps starting as an improvised weapon developing in a manner analogous to that of the bill-gisarme. However, this is not possible: the scythe first appeared during the 12th and 13th centuries. It is, perhaps, possible that the single-handed falx developed from the sickle, although agricultural sickles of the time were typically quite small - no more than 30cm or so in length. Using a scythe A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing and reaping grass or crops. ... The bill (also bill hook or bill-guisarme) was, in the 15th and 16th Centuries, the main close combat weapon of English infantry. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... (12th century - 13th century - 14th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 13th century was that century which lasted from 1201 to 1300. ... Using a sickle A sickle is a curved, hand-held agricultural tool typically used for harvesting grain crops before the advent of modern harvesting machinery. ...

At the time of the Dacian wars, producing a long, sharp blade was technically challenging. It seems reasonable to suppose that the double-handed flax was a high-status weapon used only by the most courageous warriors.

See also

• Rhomphaia
• Siege hook
• Sickle-sword

This article does not cite its references or sources. ... A siege hook is a weapon used to pull stones from a wall during a siege. ... Khopesh (?pš) is the name given by the ancient Egyptians to a Cannanite sickle-sword. ...

External links

• Falx as a tool.
• Dacian wielding single handed falx, Trajan's column.
• Dacians wielding single handed falxes, Trajan's column.
• Images of historical re-enactor with falx. Refer to images in row F