Saturday, December 10, 2011

Unique Weapon Of The Day - Scissors


This rather odd-looking weapon was used in the arenas by the gladiators of the ancient Roman Empire. Interestingly enough, the gladiators who wielded the scissor in combat were also known as scissors. The metal casing at the bottom formed a long tube that covered the gladiator’s arm, allowing the weapon to easily block, parry, as well as counterattack. Made from hardened steel, the scissor measured up to one and a half feet long. It is surprisingly light, weighing in at an easy 5-7 pounds; this allowed the scissor to be wielded with a good amount of speed. The scissor’s unique shape and design made it a crowd favorite.

This reminds me of the ULU - an traditional Inuit cutting tool. It is used by Inuit woman to great effect when they are skinning wild game, preparing food or making clothing. They are usually kept razor sharp.




http://listverse.com/2011/12/10/top-10-unusual-ancient-weapons/

4 comments:

Belle said...

Ouch!

Debra She Who Seeks said...

So, the ancient Romans had contact with the Inuit? Man, those guys got around!

Michael May said...

We got an ulu as a wedding present and it's still my favorite kitchen utensil. Regular knives suck compared to how easy that is to use.

Nathan said...

I always wondered why giant shears were a weapon you could equip in Dragon Quest III.