The Spartan Army’s Favorite Sword
The primary weapon of ancient Greek warriors as they fought in phalanxes was the dory – the chief spear of hoplites, or heavy infantry. Their secondary weapon – which could quickly become their primary one in an emergency – was the sword, of which the xiphos was the most popular and well-known. Xiphoi were one-handed short swords used by the ancient Greeks use since the Bronze Age, and were mentioned by Homer in his epics. Although used throughout ancient Greece, the xiphos became especially associated with the Spartan military, as it was especially favored by Spartan warriors.
A pointed and double edged short sword, typically with a two foot long lenticular or leaf-shaped blade, the xiphos was used both to cut and thrust. Designed for single-handed use, it was favored by hoplites and was carried by them as standard equipment when they marched off to war. The xiphoi’s leaf shape distributed the blade’s weight more towards the tip. That put more mass behind the point of impact as it cut and hacked. Because added mass means added momentum, it allowed the blade to cut more readily. Additionally, the leaf shape gave the blade a curve on both sides, and such curves were useful in push and draw cuts at close quarters.