The Deadliest Weapon In History Was a Simple Short Sword

It killed more people than any other single weapon

(Public domain)

What weapon has killed more people than any other? It is a fascinating question with no easy answers. Casualties are often judiciously counted, but the exact cause of death is often hard to pinpoint. Bullets, shell fragments, debris, and concussive force are just a few things that can make it hard to tell what exactly killed a soldier. What caused the shell fragment? What caliber bullet did the killing? These details are often left out of official reports because they are nearly impossible to accurately determine.

If you take weapon groups, then the clear winner is artillery. Artillery and mortars continue to account for the highest number of casualties in all modern conflicts. However, there are dozens of different types of mortars and artillery (60mm, 81mm, 155mm, etc.), and it is impossible to pinpoint which exact system has caused the most damage. But what about the singular weapon that has killed the largest number of people?

That honor likely goes to the Roman gladius. The gladius was the short sword that was wielded by Roman legionnaires for hundreds of years. Roman armies fought in close-knit squares where heavy shields were held aloft when an initial volley of spears or javelins was thrown at the enemy…