"Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. And ten young men that bare Joab's armor compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him." 2 Samuel 18:14-15 ASV
<p>Illustration of Absalom hanging by his hair from an oak tree. His horse is rearing on its hind legs, preparing to run away. Joab, the general, holds two spears in one hand and prepares to stab Absalom with the third. Other members of Joab's troops have their swords raised, poised to strike.

Absalom is Killed by Joab While Hanging in a Tree

"Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them…

"A Persian sword, whence Horace speaks of the <em>Medus acinaces.</em> The acinaces was a short and straight weapon; and thus differed from the Roman <em>sica,</em> which was curved. It was worn on the right side of the body, whereas the Greeks and Romans usually had their swords suspended on the left side. The form of the acinaces, with the mode of wearing it, is illustrated by the by the following Persepolitan figures." &mdash; Smith, 1873

Acinaces

"A Persian sword, whence Horace speaks of the Medus acinaces. The acinaces was a short and…

"So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life." Genesis 3:24 ASV
<p>Illustration of Adam and Eve as they are sent away from the Garden of Eden and the Tree of Life. Both are wearing animal skins and Adam is covering his face. Two angels, both holding swords, stand in front of a tree. A dog stands next to the angels.One angel points Adam and Eve away from the garden. The serpent is at Eve's feet with its mouth open. God is pictured looking down from the clouds. A small, oval image of Mary holding the baby Jesus is inset above Eve's head.

Adam and Eve are Punished and Cast Out of the Garden of Eden

"So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim, and the flame…

Knight wearing Allecret armor

Allecret armor

Knight wearing Allecret armor

A knight wearing Allecret armor, which was typically worn by the Swiss in the 16th century.

Allecret Armor

A knight wearing Allecret armor, which was typically worn by the Swiss in the 16th century.

"And after Antiochus had ravaged Egypt in the hundred and forty-third year, he returned and went up against Israel. And he went up to Jerusalem with a great multitude. And he proudly entered into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof, and the table of proposition, and the pouring vessels, and the vials, and the little mortars of gold, and the veil, and the crowns, and the golden ornament that was before the temple: and he broke them all in pieces." 1 Maccabees 1:21-23 DRA
<p>Illustration of Antiochus IV in the temple in Jerusalem. Engraving by William Colley Wrankmore.

Antiochus in the Temple

"And after Antiochus had ravaged Egypt in the hundred and forty-third year, he returned and went up…

The Seal of the State of Arkansas. The seal shows Mercy, a bald eagle holding a shield, and the sword of justice.

Seal of Arkansas

The Seal of the State of Arkansas. The seal shows Mercy, a bald eagle holding a shield, and the sword…

"Complete Armor of 1195-1205."-Whitney, 1902

Armor

"Complete Armor of 1195-1205."-Whitney, 1902

"Armor and Equipment for man and horse, about 1290."-Whitney, 1902

Armor

"Armor and Equipment for man and horse, about 1290."-Whitney, 1902

"Complete Armor, about 1395"-Whitney, 1902

Armor

"Complete Armor, about 1395"-Whitney, 1902

"Complete suit of Plate-Armor, now in Paris, date about 1440- the epoch of greatest perfection of defensive arms."-Whitney, 1902

Armor

"Complete suit of Plate-Armor, now in Paris, date about 1440- the epoch of greatest perfection of defensive…

A pile of armor pieces including a helm, spears, and maces.

A Knight's Armor

A pile of armor pieces including a helm, spears, and maces.

"At the command <em>attention</em> resume the order saber and the position of the soldier." &mdash; Moss, 1914

Attention

"At the command attention resume the order saber and the position of the soldier." —…

"In the Brave Days of Old." &mdash;Bulfinch, 1897

Roman battle

"In the Brave Days of Old." —Bulfinch, 1897

(672-754) Saint Boniface was the Apostle of the Germans, born Winfrid or Wynfrith, was a missionary who propogated Christianity in the Frankish Empire during the 8th century. He was murdered in Frisia.

Saint Boniface

(672-754) Saint Boniface was the Apostle of the Germans, born Winfrid or Wynfrith, was a missionary…

An illustration of a boy wearing a hat and holding a sword while playing with a group of dogs.

Boy with Hat & Sword Playing with Dogs

An illustration of a boy wearing a hat and holding a sword while playing with a group of dogs.

"Brass Armor of Sir John de Creke." &mdash; The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

Brass Armor

"Brass Armor of Sir John de Creke." — The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

"Brass Armor of Sir John de Foxley." &mdash; The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

Brass Armor

"Brass Armor of Sir John de Foxley." — The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

"Brass Armor of Sir John Lisle at Thruxton." &mdash; The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

Brass Armor

"Brass Armor of Sir John Lisle at Thruxton." — The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

"Leaf-shaped bronze sword." &mdash; The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

Bronze Sword

"Leaf-shaped bronze sword." — The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1910

"The chivalry of the gothic nations began in the woods of Germany. No youth was then permitted to assume arms, at that time the geat privilege of the noble and the free, at his own pleasure. It was made a social rank, to which it was necessary that the aspiring candidates should be elected in the public councils of their rude commonwealth; and the emulated distinction was then solemnly conferred by the prince, or a kinsman, giving them a javelin and a shield. In these customs we see the origin of knighthood." &mdash; Goodrich, 1844

Chivalry and knight-errantry

"The chivalry of the gothic nations began in the woods of Germany. No youth was then permitted to assume…

A name given to a broadsword made to be used with one hand, and closely resembling the cuirassiers's broadsword of the seventeenth century in England.

Claymore

A name given to a broadsword made to be used with one hand, and closely resembling the cuirassiers's…

"Determined to save his own country at the expense of his own life, Codrus disguised himself in a peasant's dress, entered the Peloponnesian camp, and provoked a quarrel with a soldier, by whom he was killed." &mdash; Goodrich, 1844

Codrus slain

"Determined to save his own country at the expense of his own life, Codrus disguised himself in a peasant's…

Image depicting a mythical moral anecdote, consisting of two morals. The first that regardless of who wears the crown, they are bound to have threats sent their way. The second is that the threat of terrorism is much greater than the act itself.

Banquet of Damocles

Image depicting a mythical moral anecdote, consisting of two morals. The first that regardless of who…

"Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled." I Samuel17:51 ASV
<p>Illustration of David standing next to the giant body of Goliath, holding his head by the hair. David is leaning on Goliath's sword and Goliath's spear lies on the ground, partially underneath the body. The Philistine army flees (left), while the Israelites cheer and pursue them (right). There are trees, mountains, and a small town in the background.

David Holds the Head of the Slain Goliath

"Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof,…

"And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead; and the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David. Then David ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled." 1 Samuel 17:48-51 ASV
<p>David holds a sword over Goliath and prepares to cut off his head. In the background, the men of Israel and Judah pursue the Philistines.

David Slays Goliath

"And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened,…

"And he said unto his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing unto my lord, Jehovah's anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is Jehovah's anointed. So David checked his men with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. And Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way." I Samuel 24:6-7
<p>Illustration of David standing over the sleeping body of Saul. David holds his hand out to stop his soldier from hurting Saul. The soldier has his sword drawn. Saul is reclining on a mat. Two spears, a sword, shield, and some dishes lay around the tree behind Saul. A soldier is asleep in the entrance of the cave.

David Spares Saul's Life as He Sleeps in a Cave

"And he said unto his men, Jehovah forbid that I should do this thing unto my lord, Jehovah's anointed,…

The angel of death appearing to an old man with long, flowing white hair and beard. He is leaning over a very large book. The winged angel is holding a sword in the right hand and gesturing with the left.

Angel of Death

The angel of death appearing to an old man with long, flowing white hair and beard. He is leaning over…

A stabbing weapon; a dagger.

Dirk

A stabbing weapon; a dagger.

A boy in battle with a ferocious dragon.

Dragon Slayer

A boy in battle with a ferocious dragon.

"Cadmus and the Dragon. (From a vase-painting at Naples.)" &mdash; The Delphian Society, 1913

Cadmus and the Dragon

"Cadmus and the Dragon. (From a vase-painting at Naples.)" — The Delphian Society, 1913

"A Bolo is a short, broad, lance-shaped weapon; used by the Filiinos in their operations against the American troops. The blade is about 18 inches in length by nearly 3 inches in breadth at its broadest dimension. It tapers from the middle toward the haft as well as toward the point, making it strongly resemble the ancient short sword. It is not double edged, however, but tapers from a thick back to an extremely keen edge. In April 1904, the United States troops operating in the Philippines, were supplied with bolos."&mdash;(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Filipino Bolo

"A Bolo is a short, broad, lance-shaped weapon; used by the Filiinos in their operations against the…

"A Bolo is a short, broad, lance-shaped weapon; used by the Filiinos in their operations against the American troops. The blade is about 18 inches in length by nearly 3 inches in breadth at its broadest dimension. It tapers from the middle toward the haft as well as toward the point, making it strongly resemble the ancient short sword. It is not double edged, however, but tapers from a thick back to an extremely keen edge. In April 1904, the United States troops operating in the Philippines, were supplied with bolos."&mdash;(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Filipino Bolo Sheath

"A Bolo is a short, broad, lance-shaped weapon; used by the Filiinos in their operations against the…

<i>Lepidopus caudatus</i>. "1. A fish of the family <i>Lepidopodidae, Lepidopus caudatus,</i>of the Mediterranean and Atlantic shores of Europe, as well as of New Zealand, of a bright silvery color, with a long dorsal and rudimentary anal fin: so called from suggesting by its form the sheath of a sword. Also called a scale fish and a frost fish." &mdash;Whitney, 1889

Scabbard Fish

Lepidopus caudatus. "1. A fish of the family Lepidopodidae, Lepidopus caudatus,of the Mediterranean…

Order give to soldiers instructing them to attach their bayonets to the end of their rifles.

Fix Bayonet

Order give to soldiers instructing them to attach their bayonets to the end of their rifles.

A crossing US flag and sword with a sun in the background.

Flag and Sun

A crossing US flag and sword with a sun in the background.

A collection of weapons used by the Germanic tribe called the Franks. These are all of their most typically used weapons: a shield, a spear or Germanic spear, a Frankish spear or angon (this is similar to a short javelin), a sword, a knife, and a short axe for battling in close quarters. All of the weapons are standing vertically, except for the short axe, which lies horizontally, underneath the shield. The shield appears to be three-tiered.

Frankish Weapons, Including a Shield, Germanic Spear, Angon, Sword, Knife, and Short Axe

A collection of weapons used by the Germanic tribe called the Franks. These are all of their most typically…

French soldier of the sixteenth century

French soldier of the sixteenth century

French soldier of the sixteenth century

Women playing a lyre.

Greek border

Women playing a lyre.

"Two to four feet long, of a shiny silvery color; called <em>ribbon-fish</em> on our coast, and <em>sword-fish</em> of Jamaica." &mdash; Goodrich, 1859

Silvery Hairtail

"Two to four feet long, of a shiny silvery color; called ribbon-fish on our coast, and sword-fish

Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 &ndash; June 8, 1845) was the seventh President of the United States (1829&ndash;1837).

Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was the seventh President of the United States…

Judith, having just beheaded Holofernes, places his head in a bag with the help of her servant. She is holding a curved sword, or scimitar and is wrapped in robes that cover her head. Her servant is also clothed in voluminous robes. A shield and scabbard hang from the bedpost. Holofernes' body lies partially on the bed (left). Heavy curtains hang from the bed frame. A doorway in the background opens on to the city.

Judith Places the Head of Holofernes in a Bag

Judith, having just beheaded Holofernes, places his head in a bag with the help of her servant. She…

"But Holofernes lay on his bed, fast asleep, being exceedingly drunk. And Judith spoke to her maid to stand without before the chamber, and to watch: And Judith stood before the bed praying with tears, and the motion of her lips in silence, Saying: Strengthen me, O Lord God of Israel, and in this hour look on the works of my hands, that as thou hast promised, thou mayst raise up Jerusalem thy city: and that I may bring to pass that which I have purposed, having a belief that it might be done by thee. And when she had said this, she went to the pillar that was at his bed's head, and loosed his sword that hung tied upon it. And when she had drawn it out, she took him by the hair of his head, and said: Strengthen me, O Lord God, at this hour." Judith 13:4-9 DRA
<p>Having taken Holofernes' sword in hand, Judith stands by his bed before she beheads him. Her maid acts as lookout.

Judith Prepares to Behead Holofernes

"But Holofernes lay on his bed, fast asleep, being exceedingly drunk. And Judith spoke to her maid to…

Justice

Justice

Justice

Servant kneels before king.

King

Servant kneels before king.

"The Knight, Death, and the Devil." &mdash;D'Anvers, 1895

Knight

"The Knight, Death, and the Devil." —D'Anvers, 1895

Heavily armored knights engaged in battle.

Knights Armor

Heavily armored knights engaged in battle.

The design on the hilt of General Lafayette's sword.

Design on the Hilt of Lafayette's Sword

The design on the hilt of General Lafayette's sword.

The design on the obverse side of General Lafayette's sword.

Design on the Obverse Side of Lafayette's Sword

The design on the obverse side of General Lafayette's sword.

In Norse mythology, there is a war between the Winilers and the Vandals. Odin takes the side of the Vandals and his wife Frigga takes the side of the Winilers. Odin says he will help whoever he sees first the next morning. Frigga makes a plan that the women tie their long hair under their chins like a beard to disguise themselves as men and she moves the bed so Odin faces the window the women are standing near. He names them Long-Beards (Lombards) and helps them to victory.

Lombard Woman

In Norse mythology, there is a war between the Winilers and the Vandals. Odin takes the side of the…

Confederate and Union forces clash at Lookout Mountain.

Battle of Lookout Mountain

Confederate and Union forces clash at Lookout Mountain.

An illustration of an adult man holding a sword in each hand.

Man Holding Swords

An illustration of an adult man holding a sword in each hand.

A heavily armored man with a sword, shield and spear.

Man with Spear

A heavily armored man with a sword, shield and spear.

A strange little man wearing a jacket, leggings, and pointy shoes holding a sword and a lantern. There is a rat with a long tail sitting above him.

Shocked Man Looking at a Smaller Man

A strange little man wearing a jacket, leggings, and pointy shoes holding a sword and a lantern. There…

A strange little man wearing a jacket, leggings, and pointy shoes holding a sword and a lantern. There is a rat with a long tail sitting above him.

Strange Little Man

A strange little man wearing a jacket, leggings, and pointy shoes holding a sword and a lantern. There…

In the story of Balin and Balan, the image depicts the damsel removing her mantle in front of King Arthur and his followers.

The Damsel Let Fall Her Mantle

In the story of Balin and Balan, the image depicts the damsel removing her mantle in front of King Arthur…

<i>Tetrapturus albidus</i>. Also called a billfish or spearfish, "the dorsal fin is low or moderately developed, and the ventrals are represented only by spines. It inhabits American waters as far north as New England in summer, and is not seldom taken in fathoms deep. The spear-fish is related to the swordfish (though of another family), and has a similar beak or sword. It attains a length of six or eight feet. In the West Indies its Spanish name is <i>aguja</i>." &mdash;Whitney, 1889

White Marlin, a Sailfish

Tetrapturus albidus. Also called a billfish or spearfish, "the dorsal fin is low or moderately developed,…

"Now as he left off speaking these words, there came a certain Jew in the sight of all to sacrifice to the idols upon the altar in the city of Modin, according to the king's commandment. And Mathathias saw and was grieved, and his reins trembled, and his wrath was kindled according to the judgment of the law, and running upon him he slew him upon the altar: Moreover the man whom king Antiochus had sent, who compelled them to sacrifice, he slew at the same time, and pulled down the altar." 1 Maccabees 2:23-25 DRA
<p>Mathathias holds sword after slaying the Jew who had sacrificed to the idols in the city of Modin.

Mathathias Slays the Man Who Sacrificed to Idols

"Now as he left off speaking these words, there came a certain Jew in the sight of all to sacrifice…

An illustration of the Mohammedan emblems.

Mohammedan Emblem

An illustration of the Mohammedan emblems.

Illustration of Paul, kneeling on one knee in the city streets, head bowed, awaiting execution. A man in a short tunic and head wrap is raising his sword above Paul's head. A man in a robe stands nearby with his hand over his mouth. Another man stands in the background, holding a scroll and a staff. Two soldiers are standing in the background.

Paul is Beheaded at Rome by the Order of Emperor Nero

Illustration of Paul, kneeling on one knee in the city streets, head bowed, awaiting execution. A man…