short swords
Compact fighting blades
Short swords are bladed weapons longer than daggers but shorter than standard swords, typically with blades ranging from twelve to twenty inches.
Throughout history, they served as backup weapons for soldiers or primary arms in close-quarters combat where longer blades proved unwieldy.
The Roman gladius is perhaps the most famous example.
In fantasy games and fiction, short swords often appear as starter weapons for rogues or as dual-wielded pairs for nimble fighters.
- krisWavy-bladed Indonesian dagger
- gladiusRoman infantry blade
- Roman soldierImperial army combatant
- katanaCurved Japanese fighting blade
- bladeFlat cutting edge
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