Falcata

Description

The falcata is a type of sword typical of Pre-Roman Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula, modern Spain and Portugal), similar to the Greek kopis or Nepalese kukri. The term Falcata is not ancient. It seems to have been coined by Fernando Fulgosio in 1872, on the model of the Latin expression ensis falcatus 'sickle-shaped sword' (which, however, refers to the Harpe). He presumably went with falcata rather than falcatus because the Spanish word for sword espada is feminine, although there are other presumable theories. The name caught on very quickly, and is now firmly entrenched in the scholarly literature.