Parazonium

A parazonium is a long triangular dagger, wide at the hilt end and coming to a point.

It is also sometimes carried by Mars, Roma, the emperor, tribunes[1] and other senior officers, giving them the aura of courage.

The Roman parazonium blade tended to be leaf shape and approximately 15–19 in (380–480 mm) long.

Its function as a weapon is confirmed directly or indirectly by other written sources, mainly inscriptions (e.g. CGIL II 164.33 ; 394.38).

One of them (CGIL V 384, 33) clearly shows that the Romans were to borrow this weapon from the "Macedonians" (i.e. Greeks) of the Hellenistic East, who had earlier adopted it in turn from the Persians (the sword akinakes).