Pugio-gladius brevis est
Subtitle: history and technology of the Roman battle dagger
By: Marco Saliola, Fabrizio Casprini
Contributors: Casprini, Fabrizio
Series: BAR international series -- 2404
Publisher: Archaeopress; British Archaeological Reports; British Archaeological Reports Oxford Ltd
Published: 2012
Place of publication: Oxford
Language: eng
Number of pages: 141
ISBN-13: 9781407309996
Subjects: Daggers; Ancient Weapons; History
Description: "This study examines in depth the pugio (pl. pugiones), a short daggersword and one of the weapons of choice of the Roman army -- it was the weapon that killed Julius Caesar. Its rich decoration and the use of precious metals have given it legendary status, which has been enhanced by a scarcity of literary sources and the lack of a clear explanation of its function or the specific use soldiers made of it. This work tries to fill this gap, basing its finds exclusively on undisputed data and sources. This study of the pugio takes us through the history and evolution of the Roman army itself"--Publisher's web site.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 135-139).