Thescythe sword (Sensenschwert) was a type of single-edged sword of theGerman Renaissance, related to theDussack. It consisted of the blade of ascythe to which a swordhilt was attached. Like thefalx orfalcata of antiquity, it was thus a curved sword with the cutting edge on the inside (as opposed to thescimitar orsabre type with the edge on the outside).
The only known surviving example of a true scythe sword (its blade being made from an actual scythe), is that ofThomas Müntzer (1489–1525), kept in the Historical Museum,Dresden. This sword has a representation of arunic calendar incised on the blade. Demmin (1893) notes the existence of other sword blades of the early 16th century bearing runic calendars in Berlin, Vienna, Paris, Munich, Graz and Luxembourg.
It is possible that "scythe sword" may refer to the Thracian romphaia (Greek: ῥομφαία), most commonly a long curved blade with its[1] cutting edge on the concave or inside edge with a piercing point, attached to a pole (wood handle) that's shorter than the blade.
The Thracian romphaia is often compared to a Dacian falx, a longer version of a romphaia.
The romphaia was a close-combat bladed weapon used by the Thracians as early as 350–400 BC.
The two-handed falx is clearly related to the Thracian rhomphaia. It is a derivative of both the sword and the spear, used by the Dacians.
Both the romphaia and falx weapons were made in one hand and two handed versions. Most surviving examples suggest the smaller shorter "one hand" type actually would have been "hand and a half", where the second hand was used more as a lever to make strokes, thrusts, recoveries and angle of attack changes more rapid and fluid.
So, "scythe sword" could refer to a romphaia, or falx possibly.
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