[Nathan Quarantillo]

Hello all, I was wondering about the equipment of a Thracian warrior. In the times that he would have used a Rhompaia (actually, I dont know the time frame that the rhompaia was used, so that would be helpful too)
I know next to nothing on these warriors, so anything is appreciated.
Armour, weapons, equipment, how they fought, ect.
If the Rhompaia has many centuries of use (and thus equipment variation), just make it the latest one.

Also, is the Rhompaia from Scorpion swords and knives historically acceptable?
All help is appreciated, thanks. (also, this has nothing to do with the thracian gladiator. the actual warrior)


http://traditionalarcherybows.com/handmade_rh...i_p79.html (Scorpions Rhompaia)

[David Wilson]

Here's a site on Thracian Weapons:

http://home.exetel.com.au/thrace/warfare.htm

And on the same site, here's a page about Thracian warriors:

http://home.exetel.com.au/thrace/warriors.htm

Unfortunately, a lot of the image links on these pages don't show up... they're totally gone.... so it's just reading....

[Tomas Mihalyi]

I was also wondering when was rhomphaia exactly used because most of the sorces dont look very reliable....another thing is if there are actual archeological findings of rhomphaia...i have seem some but without the name of the exact place of the find nor with any closer data....anyone has any idea???

[Viktor Chudinov]

Hello.
There are quite a few finds in Bulgaria. Here is a translation from an article (that was posted on a military forum by the user "Gladiator". Author is Stanimir Dimitrov. It was presented at a conference - Tharce and the world around - Shoumen 2004, translation is mine. ):

"from Satovcha village, near Gotse Delchev, Bulgaria. In a grave from stone plates. Higly corrosed. Preserved lenght:83cm. Length of handle - 78cm. Found along with a bronze helmet of thracian style, bronze armour, two bronze fibulaes, iron chains, short and wide iron sword(?), pottery. Dated: IV c. BC

from Dreben village, near Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. Found in a grave. The weapon was defined by the finders as "thin iron saber". Place of finding: unknown. It was found along with a bronze helmet of thracian style. Dated: IV c. BC

from Razlog town, near Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. In a stone grave. The weapon was higly corroded. Found on the right arm and shoulder of the buried. Preserved lenght: 110cm. Widht:2.20cm. It was found with six bronze torkwas(sp?), fibula with bilateral helix and a spiral ring. Dated: III-II c. BC.

from Pletena village, near Blagoevgrad, Bulgaria. From a stone grave. The weapon was damaged - a great part of the blade was missing. Preserved length:115cm.; lenght of handle: 38cm. FOund along with iron helmet of thracian style, bronze greaves, six bronze torkwas. Dated: end of IVc. BC. - first half of III c. BC

from Ruen village, near Plovdiv Bulgaria. In a stone grave. Length: 137cm, with the upper end broken. Length of handle: 53 cm, with a circular opening in the back end. There is a circular opening in the wide part of the blade. The blunt edge has a channel. Dated: III-IIc BC

from Cherven village, near Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Preserved length:145cm. Lenght of handle 58 cm. The point and part of the handle are broken. At the end of the blade and the begining of handle there are circular openings. Blade width: 2.50 cm, dated: III-II c. BC."
The article goes on with a few more finds from: town of Asenovgrad, Tsar Kaloyan village, Bryastovitsa village, all near Plovdiv, Zabardo village, near Smolyan. There are a few more finds...there is a find currently in Pernik, one in Dobritch and one in Pazardjik.

Hope I have been helpfull.
Best regards.

[Tomas Mihalyi]

thanks a lot Viktor I believe it will surely help