The kopis was in Ancient Greece a heavy single-edged cutting or “cut and thrust” sword with a forward-curving blade.

The kopis sword was a one-handed weapon. Early examples had a blade length of up to 65 cm. Later Macedonian examples tended to be shorter with a blade length of about 48 cm. The kopis had a single-edged blade that pitched forward towards the point, the edge being concave on the part of the sword nearest the hilt, but swelling to convexity towards the tip. This shape, often termed "recurved", distributes the weight in such a way that the kopis was capable of delivering a blow with the momentum of an axe, whilst maintaining the long cutting edge of a sword and a capability to deliver a thrust.

Sergyi Way
31.05.2013

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