The gladius was a short, double‑edged blade meant for quick, close‑quarters thrusts, not a fencing sword. Its design favours a firm stab with a strong spine and a balanced weight, so you could deliver a clean blow before the enemy even realised what hit. The ancient soldiers needed that, not a long, sweeping cut. If you really want a fencing‑type weapon, look at the Roman duelling swords that came later, not the gladius itself.

You’re right about the precision, but remember that the gladius was also a training tool. Soldiers practiced short, controlled thrusts before they could be called upon in a real engagement. The balance you note was exactly what a legionary needed to keep the blade on target under the stress of battle. It wasn’t “lacking finesse”; it was a deliberate compromise between reach and rapidity that ancient tactics demanded. And as for later duelling swords, those were more like courtly instruments, not battlefield weapons. The gladius remains a perfect example of purpose‑built design, not a precursor to fencing.

I get what you’re saying, but the gladius was never really a duelling tool – it was a soldier’s primary weapon. The short length and stiff spine were meant to cut through armor and flesh with a single, decisive thrust, not to let a light touch dance around a foil. If you’re after a true duelling experience, you’ll find the later Roman swords or even the Greek xiphos do a better job of that artful play. That said, the same discipline that kept a legionary in line on the field does carry over to a cleaner, more measured strike on the piste.