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Pugio -- Dagger
Last Updated: 04-08-10
The legionary's side arm, the dagger or pugio. Believed to be of Spanish ancestry, the pugio did not become
widespread until the first century BC. It was one of the identifying marks of a soldier, he didn't just have a belt
but the dagger suspended from it.
Now their are three different types of pugio on the market that are acceptable to Legio VI F. These three are the
Titelburg, brass beaded, and plain pugio. Now these three designs are by no means all that are out there! Many
more examples have been found, just these have been mass produced at a decent price.
Titelburg:
The Titelburg is believed to be of a Republican era design and has a type B sheath, both organic (leather covered
wood frame) and metal and features a type A tang and a type A blade. It is found at an ancient Guallic capital
city in Luxembourg and is dated between 30 and 12 BC.
What to look for:
There are two different versions of this dagger available on the market. One, is made by Soul of the Warrior (SW010NH).
The one thing to keep in mind is this is making of the dagger as it was found by archeologist and not how it was found
in Roman times. Also, the blade has a reinforcing midrib which the orginal did not, the orginal had a diamond blade
with no midrib.
The other one is offered by Battle Merchant (ULF-KD-15). This version is not a reproduction of how it would have
looked during Roman times but it is very close. It has the correct blade dimensions, tinned metal, and correctly made
handle. Also, the blade has a reinforcing midrib which the orginal did not, the orginal had a diamond blade with no
midrib.
Brass Beaded:
The sheath of the brass beaded pugio is a type B with orgainc (leather over a wooden frame) and metal which
in this case is a thin metal sheet attached over the top. It was found in Vindonissa, Switerland.
What to look for:
Deepeeka (AH3264B) is the only manufactor that mass produces this dagger. The hilt has over lapping metal peice
that need to be trimmed off, the pommel should be flat at the top and not rounded, and the core should be replaced with wood
and not what ever Deepeeka whats in there! The scabbard is embossed with dots where as the orginal has cast plates of
dots soddered on. Also, the suspension rings need to be replaced with more accurate ones available from Armamentaria.
Plain Pugio:
This type of pugio was found on the Rhine near Mainz, Germany. It features a type A sheath with two
thin sheets of metal over a wooden core and a type A tang and type B blade.
What to look for:
Deepeeka (AH3264P) is the only manufactor that mass
produces this dagger. The only things that need to be addressed is the suspension rings are incorrect but can be replaced
with more accurate ones available from Armamentaria. That and the core of the dagger needs to be replaced with wood
instead of what ever Deepeeka whats to put in there!
As said above these three are not the only pugio found, they are just ones that are readily available and meet our standards.
If you find a 1st cenutry AD Roman pugio that you would like to carry that is not being produced you must first get it approved
by a Ferrata Milites. If you want a handmade pugio and not a mass produced one we strongly recommend you get the blade
from Mark Marrow and the scabbard done by Matt Lukes. Since both are custom suppliers a waiting period is to be expected!
Here is what “Roman Military Equipment: From the Punic Wars to the Fall of Rome”
by M.C. Bishop & J.C.N. Coulston has to say about Pugio.
Two different types of tang and three different types of blade have been discovered so far.
The first type of tang is flat and riveted to the blade, characteristically with two rivets through the pommel, one through
the central expansion, and two or more through the handguard. The second type , the rod tang, the rivets do not actually
pass through the blade or tang;many of these daggers are either fournd without handles or with replacement wooden ones fitted.
The type A blade is broad with a simple midrib, whilst type B has deep grooves on either side of
the midrib, a pronounced waist, and a long tapering point. Type C dagger blades are much narrower than either of the
other two variants, and are also comparatively straight-edged.
Two different types of sheaths. Type A was made of two plates of iron joined at the edges and
lined with wood, the front plate being inlaid with brass, silver, niello, or enamel. The four suspension rings were
usually free to move, attached to the sheath by fine copper-alloy loops. Type B sheaths were made of organic materials
(probably leather and wood) with a near-flat decorated iron plate attached to the front, with tow lugs on either side through
the rivets securing the suspension loops passed.
Wearing the Pugio:
For legionaries it is proper to wear the pugio on the left. It is commonly accepted that
while wearing the lorica segmentata the pugio is suspended from a single belt with apron. While during the Republican
period of Roman it was common to have the pugio suspended from one belt (that would later have the apron) and the gladius
from another belt.
Recommended Suppliers:
Soul of the Warrior: makes a good Titelburg pugio but it is a recreation of the find and not how it would have looked in Roman times.
Mark Morrow: makes three types of excellent pugio blades: “Diamond Bladed”
with no mid-rib, a plain mid-ribbed pugio, and a fullered type B blade. Mark will hilt it for you, or he will supply
you with the stamped hilt plates and you can hilt it yourself.
Replik-online: has a nice little selection of pugio that are not massed produced or often seen on re-enactors just the prices make them
not very accessable.
Armamentaria: has the correct suspension rings and brackets.
Matt Lukes is your best bet for a custom scabbard if you order a blade
from Mark Morrow. You can contact Matt through the Marketplace section of RAT.
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