Гелон с косой: о древковом оружии эпохи переселения народов
Gelon with Falx: About Staſt arms of the Great Migrations Period

Summary/Abstract: A new type of weapons — blades with notches at the hilt — appear in Gaul in the Great Migrations period. These blades appear in late Roman time in the North Caucasus and Northern Black Sea realm. Later they spread to the Middle Danube area, then reach Gaul, where two finds of such blades are known — in Aquitaine (Peyroulié, Sainte-Livrade-sur-Lot, dép. Lot-et-Garonne) and North Gaul (Flins-sur-Seine, dép. Yvelines). These blades could have dual purpose — both as daggers and spears — i. e. battle falx. Such weapons are well known in China in ancient times and the Middle Ages. It is possible that Apollinaris Sidonius meant these falx in his eulogy in honor of Emperor Avitus (455—456), where he mentioned falce Gelonus, i. e. «Gelon [defeated in mastering] the falx».

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