Pugio. The art of murder
A dagger used by Roman soldiers as a personal weapon. It is believed that the pugio was intended as an auxiliary weapon, but the exact combat use remains unclear. Attempts to identify the pugio as a universal knife are erroneous because the shape of the blade is not suitable for this purpose. In any case, there were many knives of various shapes and sizes on Roman military installations, so there was no need to use the pugio alone for universal purposes. Officials of the Roman Empire wore ornate daggers while on duty at their workplaces. Some wore daggers covertly, for protection against unforeseen circumstances. In general, this dagger served as a weapon of murder and suicide; for example, the conspirators who fatally stabbed Julius Caesar used the pugio for this purpose.
Eventually the pugio was derived from the Spanish originals of various types. However, by the beginning of the 1st century AD replicas of this Roman dagger usually had a wide blade, which could be in the shape of a leaf. There may also have been an alternate form of blade with a narrowing to the tip of the broad blades of the tip from about half the length of the blade. In terms of size the blades ranged from 18 cm to 28 cm long and 5 cm or more wide. The central rib stretched the entire length of each side of the blade, either being in the middle or forming an extension to either side. The shank was wide and flat, and the hilt was riveted to it, as well as to the shoulders of the blade. The tip was originally round, but by the beginning of the 1st century A.D. it acquired a trapezoidal shape, often topped with three decorative rivets.
The pugio had its own scabbard adapted to it. In the second quarter of the 1st century AD three types of sheaths were in use. All had four rings for fasteners and a convex extension to which a large rivet was attached. Judging by the surviving examples of wearing examples, the two lower rings were not used to fasten the sheath. The first type was made of curved metal (usually iron) plates. These plates were placed on the front and back sides of the sheath and as if sealed the wooden “lining”. The front part was usually richly decorated with inlaid brass or silver, as well as red, yellow or green enamel. A feature of these sheaths was the free movement of the ring pendants attached by riveted split bindings. Modern reconstructions of these sheaths, which are made of copper plates fastened with rivets, are not true, samples of this type have never been found. This common mistake is found in connection with the misinterpretation of the drawing line in the archaeological report of the type of iron sheath “A”, which were only decorated with silver inlay and decorative rivets. The second type of sheath was made of wood and presumably covered with leather. Metal plates (almost always iron) were attached to the front part of such sheaths. This plate was made quite flat and abundantly decorated with inlaid silver (sometimes tin) and enamel. Hanging rings resembled small Roman military buckles and were hinged to the sides of the body. The third type (“frame type”) was made of iron and consisted of a pair of curved slides that went together and widened at the lower end of the sheath, forming a spherical end. The runners were connected by two horizontal strips in the upper and middle part of the sheath.
In the Arena, pugio is a deadly dagger. Usually it was used as an additional weapon, but by combining it with a shield you can get good defense and an increased chance of critical hits and bleeding.
Pugio’s blows are not as strong as other weapons in the game, but thanks to the mechanics you can wear down your opponent with injuries, and possibly end the fight early with a lethal blow.
A high graded pugio is a very deadly weapon. Which can decide the outcome of the battle in 1 blow.
