Spartan Xyele?

LizardKing · Nov 21, 2003

Anyone know about the xyele?

This seems like the proper place for this question, does anyone have any info on the Xyele? Apparently it is a sickle shaped blade, used by the Spartans. I have not been able to find anything on the web, Thanks.

GHEzell · Nov 21, 2003

I tried a quick google search, and also came up with nothing.

The egyptian sickle-sword was the khopesh, but I don't know if the greeks had a version of it. Perhaps it is another word for the kopis, and almost kukhri type weapon used by the greeks.

This is a pretty good example of a kopis...http://www.larp.com/hoplite/JMkopis.jpg

Tzvi · Nov 22, 2003

Ah, Yes the Kopis is the GREEK recurve sword.

But, these sources have definitions for Xyele:
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/cgi-bin/myth/dict/redir?method=browse&regexp=X
(scroll down on both to see the Xyele described)

http://miniatures.de/html/int/nomenclature01.html

I could not find any pictures of one, but drawings are said to exist, this does not appear to be the best forum for this specific question...try asking at www.swordforum.com. (Where the real "hackers" hang out)

FullerH · Nov 24, 2003

I would not only recommend SwordForums.com, but the Ancient Weapons Forum within SwordForums as the most likely place for you to try.

Ferrous Wheel · Nov 24, 2003

Xyelè: (GR): curved dagger; sickle. The curved Spartan sword.

Similar to the Falx: A two-handed cutting weapon used by the Dacians. Similar to the rhompia used by he Thracians, with a curved blade and long haft.

FullerH · Nov 25, 2003

I am sending out a few queries to persons who have knowledge in that area. Lret's see what turns up.

LizardKing · Nov 25, 2003

hey thanks guys,

i stumbled across the xyele in Steven Pressfield's "Gates of Fire" (a great book, much of it historically accurate at least from what i have found cross referencing it with Herodotus). Pressfield seemed to think that it was the Spartan EDC of the day, so i was very interested in finding some more info on this blade.

FullerH · Nov 26, 2003

I got this from a re-enactorfriend who is much involved with Roman, Greek and other periods.

Ave, Hugh!
Not surprisingly, the xyele seems to be an item with some debate around
it. I don't study specifically Spartan things, so I'm not up on the
details, unfortunately. But if I recall correctly the word seems to refer
to a curved knife, sort of like a sicle (or the word may have multiple
uses!). Really doesn't seem to be a sword, though. It should probably not
be confused with the Spartan short sword, a leaf-shaped but straight weapon
usually referred to these days as the xiphos (though that word also has
multiple uses). There are little curved blades shown on vase paintings
which various folks will point to as examples of the xyele, but I don't know
where to find any photos of these. The Phalanx email list is your best bet,
probably.

Sorry, that's about the best I can do! Khaire,

Matthew

That seems the best that I can do.