Spanish Falcata and the Spartan Warriors

Joined
Sep 17, 2001
Messages
3
Hi All,

I am very new to this forum and to the web in general.
( I screwed up on that last message, sorry, I was unfamiliar with foruming messages).
I have been a fan of the Khukuri for quite some time and I am now a proud owner of a Service Number 1 from Khukuri House.

I was wondering what you all think of the Spanish Falcata.

It can be found here at: http://www.imperialweapons.com/swords/deltin/deltin17.htm

I have been intrested in it for quite some time. It measures 63 cm and is around 1.3 pounds.

I just read a book called "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield, a book based on the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C, perhaps the most famous military engagement of antiquity.
Here, on a narrow mountain pass above the crystalline Aegean sea, 300 Spartan Warriors and 6000 Thespian hoplites held off the might of the Persian army ( 2 million! apparently, by historical accounts), for 3 days at this narrow pass of Thermopylae. They died in there efforts (And knew they would! ) to give the Greeks in Athens more time to prepare for the onslaut of Xerxes, King of Persia. The number of Persians killed apparently numbered in the Thousands.

The book described that the Spartans were so vicious in battle that the Persians had to resort to spears and arrows to beat them.

I was told from a friend that Spartans, apart from using short stabbing swords, spears and shields, they also used the Greek Copis, which the Spanish Falcata derives from, at this famous battle.

I have been also told that this weapon had influenced the Khukuri, thats fine, but my thoughts drift to the kind of people who use these "khukuri" shaped weapons.

The Spartans were known for being exeptional in battle, I once read that a Spartan youth had to go through 13 years of INTENSE military training to be accepted as a fully fledged warrior of Sparta! Woooow!
And that he had to remain in service until 60 years of age, were he would join the old council and start dictating strategy with his piers.

Seems that todays Gurkhas and the Ancient Spartans have a fair few things in common. Not to mention there weaponry.


" The Spartan Dienekes who, when told that the Persian arrows blocked out the sun, they jauntily replied: "Good. Then we'll have our battle in the shade."
 
Muraken: Interesting post there, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to add to it. Glad to meet you, and welcome to the GH forum. It's somewhat slow around here lately, but things are likely to pick up in time. There are some real nice folks who visit occasionally.

Dan
 
Very interesting.. I've been looking for historical references on the khukuri, and I can't find much before 19th century Nepal. These blades have been in use for hundreds of years, does anyone know of any references pre-19th century or, specifically, any references of the use or trade of these blades in rennaissance Europe?

-Chris
 
Hello Muraken. I'm new around here myself. I recently purchased a WWII Khukuri after doing a little research on these interesting knifes. I know it's believed the Khukuri is descended from the Greek Kopis, introduced by Alexander the Great's troops when they conquered the known world from the Mediteranean to India. It's also believed the Greek Kopis originates from a knife that the ancient Egyptian Nobility carried. The Pharaoh and his guards carried them (I can't remember the name of the knife). Also, the Egyptians copied the knife from a land they conquered. It's a testament to the knife that many of the ancient armies that went up against the knife copied it to some extent. It's amazing that our Khukuris are from a blade form that's older than the Pyramids. I've seen a picture of the Egyptian Knife, the Spanish Falcata (thanks!), and I have a Khukuri. If anyone has a picture (or link) of a Greek Kopis, let me know.

Also, I'm familiar with the battle of Thermopylae. The Spartans under Leonidas might have held the Persians back if the pass through the mountains hadn't been betrayed to the Persians. The Spartans were armored, the Persians were not.
 
Thanks for the welcome guys!

Bamaman, this address down here mentions that Egyptian knife, it was apparently called a "khopesh", it was bronze.

They also made a good review and history note of the Spanish Falcata made by Del Tin.

http://swordforum.com/swords/deltin/dt-falcata.html

On the Subject of Thermopylie, there is going to be a "Gladiator Epic Style" movie coming our way, directed by "Heat" director Michael Mann, based on that book "Gates of Fire". Looking VERY forward to that!

Muraken
 
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