Spatharius

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The Spatharius, wielder of a roman short sword (between 0.70 and 1 m), the Spatha, became known as a court-rank in Constantinople. It was in the late Roman Empire, that this rank started to be used on a regular base. The longer the sword, mostly, the higher it's wielders rank. The swords wielded by the Spatharius however, were never much longer than a one meter, and always single handed (some Spatharii would hold one in each hand).

[edit] References

• The Norwegian viking swords by Jan Petersen (1919) translated by Kristin Noer (1998)