Kopis vs. Xiphos

[acrob14]

I don't suppose anyone can clarify the difference between a Greek Kopis and Xiphos to me, they seem identical in my eyes.

 

[AWdeV]

Wikipedia says a Kopis was a 90-cm single-edged forwardly curved blade (think Kukri, Falcata) and says a Xiphos is a straight, double-edged sword of about 50-60 cm? Could you clarify what it is you find so similar about them?

It's definitely an interesting topic. I personally know very little about Greek swords even though I really like the subject. The spear is more commonly associated with the hoplite, so I suppose the swords weren't given much attention in games and such. (Rome Total War and Age of Mythology, I'm looking at you!)

 

[Kobrag]

Wikipedia says a Kopis was a 90-cm single-edged forwardly curved blade (think Kukri, Falcata) and says a Xiphos is a straight, double-edged sword of about 50-60 cm? Could you clarify what it is you find so similar about them?

It's definitely an interesting topic. I personally know very little about Greek swords even though I really like the subject. The spear is more commonly associated with the hoplite, so I suppose the swords weren't given much attention in games and such. (Rome Total War and Age of Mythology, I'm looking at you!)

Didn't age of mythology have the leaf swords?

 

[AWdeV]

Leaf swords? Nah, I meant that hoplites in the game don't use any kind of sword, just a spear. I don't know what kind of sword the hypaspist in the game was supposed to have although it is similar to the Xiphos.

 

[Arzeal]

The only thing I recall about those swords are different way of carrying them into battles: On Left-thigh, Right-thigh, under armpit. As I speculated, they used short swords such as Kopis & Xiphos (and other nations' short slashing weapons) as supplementary weapons, drawing them the most convientient way in a heated/pitched battles. Since each  nations have varied shield shape/size and spear/pike, they carried their sword differently
The way they sealthed and carry the sword indicated where did they come from: Macedonia, Greek, Gaul, Scythia, etc.
That's all I know about these swords