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This is a list of types of swords.
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The term sword used here is a narrow definition. This is not a general List of premodern combat weapons and does not include the machete or similar "sword-like" weapons.
Northern African swords
- Flyssa (19th century Algeria)
- Kaskara (19th century Sudan)
- Khopesh (Egyptian)
- Mameluke sword (18th to 19th century Egyptian)
- Nimcha (15th to 19th century Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia)
Eastern African swords
Western African swords
Central African swords
Eastern Asian swords
China
Japan
- Nihonto (日本刀; にほんとう)
- Bokken (木剣)
- Chokutō (直刀)
- Guntō (軍刀)
- Kyū guntō (旧軍刀)
- Shin guntō (新軍刀)
- Hachiwara (鉢割)
- Iaitō (居合刀)
- Jintachi (陣太刀)
- Katana (刀; かたな)
- Kenukigata tachi (毛抜型太刀)
- Kodachi (小太刀)
- Nagamaki (長巻)
- Ninjato (忍者刀)
- Ōdachi/Nodachi (大太刀/野太刀)
- Sasuga (刺刀)
- Shinai (竹刀)
- Shinken (真剣)
- Shikomizue (仕込み杖)
- Tachi (太刀; たち)
- Tantō (短刀; たんとう)
- Tsurugi (剣)
- Wakizashi (脇差; わきざし)
- Naginata (なぎなた)
- Sai (weapon) (サイ)
Korea
- Hwandudaedo (환두대도; 环首大刀)
- Saingeom (사인검)
Southeastern Asian swords
Swords and knives found in Southeast Asia are influenced by Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and European forms.
Indonesia
Myanmar
Philippines
Thailand
Southern Asian swords
Bhutan
Bladed weapons of the Indian subcontinent
Sri Lanka
Western and Central Asian swords
- Acinaces (Scythian short sword)
- Chereb (חֶרֶב, modern Hebrew khérev): ancient Israelite sword mentioned 413 times in the Hebrew Bible.[1]
The Ancient Greeks and Romans also introduced various types of swords, see #Ancient Europe.
Post-classical period
All of the Islamic world during the 16th to 18th century, including the Ottoman Empire and Persia were influenced by the "scimitar" type of single-edged curved sword. Via the Mameluke sword this also gave rise to the European cavalry sabre.
Terms for the "scimitar" curved sword:
Ancient European swords
- Bronze Age European swords
- Harpe: mentioned almost exclusively in Greek mythology
- Iron Age European swords
- Falcata: one-handed single-edged sword – blade 48–60 cm (19–24 in) – with forward-curving blade for slashing
- Falx: Dacian and Thracian one-handed or two-handed single-edged curved shortsword for slashing
- Gladius: Roman one-handed double-edged shortsword for thrusting (primary) and slashing, used by legionaries (heavy infantry)[2] and gladiators, and late Roman light infantry. 3rd century BCE Roman Republic – late Roman Empire.
- Kopis: one-handed single-edged sword – blade 48–60 cm (19–24 in) – with forward-curving blade for slashing
- Makhaira: Greek one-handed, single-edged shortsword or knife for cutting (primary) and thrusting
- Pugio: Roman dagger
- Rhomphaia: Greek single-edged straight or slightly curved broadsword – blade 60–80 cm (24–31 in) – for slashing (primary) and thrusting
- Spatha: Celtic/Germanic/Roman one-handed double-edged longsword – blade 50–100 cm (20–39 in) – for thrusting and slashing, used by gladiators, cavalry and heavy infantry. 3rd century BCE Gaul/Germania – Migration Period.
- Xiphos: Greek one-handed, double-edged Iron Age straight shortsword
- Xyele: The short, slightly curved, one-edged sword of the Spartans.[3]
- Migration Period swords
- Spatha: continuation, evolved into
- Ring-sword (ring-spatha, ring-hilt spatha), Merovingian period
- Viking sword or Carolingian sword
- Krefeld type
- Spatha: continuation, evolved into
Post-classical European swords
- Arming sword: high medieval knightly sword
- Backsword
- Baselard
- Carracks black sword
- Cinquedea
- Claymore: late medieval Scottish sword
- Curtana: a medieval term for a ceremonial sword
- Estoc: thrust-oriented sword
- Falchion
- Flamberge
- Glaive
- Hunting sword
- Longsword: late medieval
- Messer
- Misericorde
- Paramerion: Eastern Roman Byzantine sword
- Parrying dagger
- Poignard
- Rondel dagger
- Schiavonesca
- Seax: shortsword, knife or dagger of varying sizes typical of the Germanic peoples of the Migration Period and the Early Middle Ages, especially the Saxons, whose name derives from the weapon.
- Small sword
- Spadroon
- Stiletto
- Viking sword or Carolingian sword: early medieval spatha
- Zweihänder: 1500–1600 Germany
Modern European swords
- Basket-hilted sword
- Colichemarde
- Cutlass
- Dirk
- Dusack
- Executioner's sword
- Karabela
- Katzbalger
- Sgian-dubh
- Swiss degen
- Szabla
- Early modern fencing
- Modern fencing (sport equipment)
- U.S. regulation swords (sabres, and in some instances fascine knives shaped like short swords)
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