Emily Chan
Rome’s long history and culture of war and violence means that they left behind a lot of tools and weaponry.
Out of all of them, swords remain the most intriguing ones to the public. They tell fascinating stories, and experts are only just beginning to piece them together.
A man named Glenn Manning recently uncovered two 2,000-year-old Roman swords in the U.K. while taking part in a metal detectorist rally.
In addition to the swords, Manning found a copper alloy bowl that was broken.
The Roman Cavalry swords are extremely rare and were found in the Cotswold District, still in their deteriorated wooden scabbards. They date all the way back to 160 A.D.
The considerable length and straight edges of the swords were what helped archaeologists determine that they were cavalry swords, a type of weapon that ancient Romans carried on horseback.
The weapons were brought to Leicester University, where archaeology professor Simon James gave them a thorough examination. James stated that he couldn’t think of an instance where two swords were discovered in this way from Roman Britain, making it an entirely unique find.
“The closest that springs to mind was a pair of similar swords found in Canterbury–with their owners face down in a pit within the city walls, clearly a clandestine burial, almost certainly a double murder,” said James.
Afterward, the finds were taken to the Corinium Museum, where they will stay. The newfound swords will also be further analyzed under X-rays and may be followed by an archaeological assessment at the site in the north of the Cotswolds since it’s unclear how exactly they ended up there.
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