Editing Spatha (section)

== Usage ==
During the [[Second Punic War]], [[Celts|Celtic]] [[Celtic warfare#Mercenaries|mercenaries]] introduced the ''spatha'' to the [[Roman army]]. The ''spatha'' was a weapon used by the [[Roman cavalry|cavalrymen]], while the [[auxilia]]ries and [[Legionary|legionaries]] of the infantry used the ''[[gladius]]'' instead.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Bishop|first=M.C|title=The Spatha: The Roman Long Sword|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|year=2020|isbn=978-147-283-240-5}}</ref> Eventually, the Roman infantry would adopt the ''spatha'' in the 2nd century.<ref name=":0" /> It was a very versatile sword, undergoing many changes from its origins in [[Gaul]] to its usage in the [[Roman military]]. The blade was 60 to 75&nbsp;cm (24 to 30&nbsp;inches) long.