Assassin's Creed Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Assassin's Creed Wiki
PL ArtisanHQ Patience, brothers. Soon we will reveal the secrets of Assassin's Creed: Origins.

This article has been identified as being out of date. Please update the article to reflect recent releases and then remove this template once done.

ACU Gladius

The Roman sword of Arno Dorian

A gladius is a short, double-edged, straight sword which served as the primary sidearm to the Roman legionaries.

Description[]

Compared to swords of much later periods, the gladius is an unassuming short sword. It is straight and double-edged with a plain guard that typically lacks any protrusions, acting merely as a stop between the blade and the grip. A Roman sword rewarded to the French Assassin Arno Dorian dubbed a "gladius" during the French Revolution was an exception in this regard, bearing instead a plain, circular guard that did extend further out between the blade and the hilt. Unlike other swords intended for one-handed use, the gladius offers no flexibility to this style because its hilt is too short to accommodate more than one hand. Reinforcing its overall simplicity, the pommel is a mere, un-decorated lobe and the blade is sleek, straight, and symmetrical.[1]

History[]

Throughout the history of ancient Rome, the gladius was the primary military sword of their infantry, serving as the standard sidearm for those enlisted in a Roman legion.[1]

By the 18th century, the gladius had long been superseded by more advanced weapons, and where it appeared, it was regarded as an artifact.[1] In spite of this, a gladius was placed alongside other specialty weapons in Police Minister Charles Cochon de Lapparent's armory during the French Revolution. As part of his deal with the Assassin Arno Dorian, at some point between de Lapparent's ministerial tenure from April 1796 to July 1797,[2] he bestowed the sword to him as a reward for solving the murder of Warden Leroux of the Salpêtrière Hospital and apprehending the culprit, Deputy Warden Hugo Soulière.[1]

Weapon statistics[]

Level Damage Parry Speed Range Cost Modifiers Requirements
◆◆◆◆ 4 4 4 2 N/A Additional Damage: +25% Complete The Decapitated Warden
Description
A relic of antiquity, this short-bladed straight sword was the sidearm of the Roman Legions.

Behind the scenes[]

In Latin, gladius is the general word for "sword" and can refer to any type of sword. In practical use, however, it has come to refer to a specific subset of swords used by Roman soldiers.

The Gladius in Assassin's Creed: Unity is actually modeled after the Migration Period sword which was a derivative of another Roman sword, the spatha.

Appearances[]

References[]

Advertisement