Is there a name for this kind of drawing style/aesthetics?
It may be imagined that the length of the two-handed falx allowed it to be wielded with great force, the point piercing helmets and the blade splitting shields – it was said to be capable of splitting a shield in two at a single blow. Alternatively, it might have been used as a hook, pulling away shields and cutting at vulnerable limbs, or striking the edge of a strong shield. The inward curving point was still able to pierce the armour or flesh of the target behind the shield, rendering even the most reinforced shields much less effective against a falx wielder.
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Marcus Cornelius Fronto described the large gaping wounds that a falx inflicted, and experiments have shown that a blow from a falx easily penetrated the Romans’ lorica segmentata, enough to incapacitate or kill a majority of opponents. These experiments also show that the falx was most efficient when targeting the head, shoulders, legs and especially the right (sword) arm, which was generally exposed. A legionary who had lost the use of his right arm became a serious liability to his unit in battle.
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At the time of the Dacian wars, producing a long, sharp blade was technically challenging.[citation needed] As such, it might be that the larger two-handed falx was a high-status weapon and used only by the best warriors.[citation needed]Just based on the painting, the falx weapons also look extremely risky to use against typical Roman legions. I mean, here you have warriors with little or no armor putting all their might in to two-handed blows. It seems like in all kinds of immediate aftermath scenarios, there’d be the distinct chance for the legionary to counter with a quick stabbing blow with their gladius, something which looks like it might be disastrous in the pic above.
Then again, perhaps the front-line falx-wielders were unusually good at ‘sticking and moving,’ with the troops just behind chosen to rush in and cover with their shields as needed. And of course, it’s just one artist’s interpretation. 🙃
Note the falx damaging the Roman shield at center-right - the penetrative power (and reach) of the falx was so great that the Roman legions temporarily uparmored themselves for operations in Dacia during the Roman-Dacian Wars, including ridged helmets and armguards to protect themselves.
Those pieces were largely discarded after the war as unnecessary weight (and probably as an unnecessary expense too), but against the dreaded Dacian falx, every protection was needed!
