Falcata

Falcata is neither a native name nor one used in classical sources, but a 19th century term coined by historian Fernando Fulgosio to describe the shape of its blade.

This shape distributes the weight in such a way that the falcata is capable of delivering a blow with the momentum of an axe, while maintaining the longer cutting edge of a sword, as well as the facility to thrust.

Though almost identical to the Greek kopis, the falcata is distinguished by the sharpened false edge in the second half of its length.

However, the extent of profound Hellenistic influence both west and east, Greek trade ports like Emporion (modern Empuries) from the 8th century BCE along the east coast of Iberia, the unequivocal archeological record of the kopis predating the falcata by centuries, as well as the utterly anomalous inward "recurve" configuration across the entire world history of blades heavily argues for the Greek origin and influence.

Roman armies in the Second Punic War and later, during the Conquest of Hispania, were surprised by the quality of the weapons used by Iberian mercenaries and warriors.

There is, however, one passage that is generally agreed to refer to this type of sword, in Seneca's De Beneficiis 5.24: A veteran who had been a bit too rough with his neighbors was pleading his case before Julius Caesar.

Polybius also calls Iberian swords machaera, possibly referring to the falcata given its similarities to the Greek makhaira.

[5] The additional fact that other tribes from Hispania also used straight swords, which were later to inspire the Roman gladius, obscures the differentiation of their respective names.