A short, broad sword used by Roman soldiers, especially gladiators, in ancient times.
From Latin gladius meaning 'sword.' This is the root word from which gladiator and gladiolus derive their names. The term comes from an ancient Indo-European root related to sharp or pointed objects.
The gladius was the ultimate weapon of the Roman gladiator—compact, deadly, and perfectly designed for close combat in the arena. Every 'gladiator' you've ever heard of fought with a gladius, and without it, there would be no 'gladiolus flower' named after it either!
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