Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Acinaces

Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary, and Greek Lexicon (Rich, 1849)

ACI'NACES (ἀκινάκης). A short, straight poniard, peculiar to the Persians, Medes, and Scythians (Hor. Od. i. 27. 5. Curt. iii. 3. 18.), which was worn suspended from a belt round the waist, so as to hang against the right thigh (Val. Flacc. vi. 701. Florus, iv. 11. 3), as seen in the illustration (Acinaces/1.1) from a bas-relief found amongst the ruins of Persepolis. The acinaces was not a sword, but a dagger; for it was worn together with the sword, but on the opposite side of the body, as may be seen on the wounded Persian in the celebrated Pompeian Mosaic, inserted under BRACAE; from the reduced scale of the drawing, it is not very prominent; but the handle of it is apparent on the right side, the sword being suspended by a belt (balteus) on the left.

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  Acinaces/1.1