An Assassin’s Weapon: The Sica

Jewish rebel with Sica

The sica was a distinctive, curved dagger or short sword used in the ancient world, most famously wielded by the Thracians and later adopted in the Roman gladiatorial arena. With its forward-curving blade, typically circa 16 to 18 inches long, the sica was designed to bypass shields and armour, hooking around a foe’s defences to strike exposed areas. It shares certain design elements in common with the Greek Kopis, the Illyrian Falcata, and the Dacian Falx.

Originating in the Balkans, the weapon was closely associated with the Thracian tribes, who were known for their fierce resistance against Greek and Roman expansion. It seems likely that the Romans took note of the weapon’s effectiveness as they incorporated it into gladiatorial combat. Mosaics and reliefs suggest that in the arena, the Thraex gladiator fought with a small shield and a sica, using the weapon’s curve to target an opponent’s unguarded flanks.

One of the Sicarii, wearing a prayer shawl over their head as a disguise, creeps up on an unwitting victim...

The sica also acquired a darker reputation in Roman history as it came to be closely associated with assassins and bandits, especially the Sicarii, a group of assassins named after the dagger. The Sicarii were Jewish zealots who, according to Josephus, used concealed daggers to strike Roman collaborators during the 1st-century Jewish Revolt. The weapon’s shape made it ideal for sudden, close-quarters violence in crowded spaces.

While it may not be as well known as ancient weapons such as the Gladius or Sarissa, the sica’s unique form and deadly function earns it a lasting legacy in the annals of ancient weaponry.