Sica

Sica is the name given to a short, curved dagger with a single-edged blade that was used in the Balkans during classical antiquity. The weapon typically features a sickle-like curve, a pointed tip, and a simple grip, with blade lengths commonly ranging from about 15 to 40 centimeters. Its design emphasizes slashing and stabbing in close combat and it could be worn as a belt weapon for quick access.

Historically, the sica is associated with Thracian, Dacian, Illyrian, and other peoples of the eastern Balkans. Archaeological finds and ancient literary sources indicate its use from the late Iron Age into late antiquity, with a prominence in the early Roman period as a characteristic weapon of certain light infantry and guerrilla fighters. The sica is often mentioned alongside other regional blades as part of the military equipment of tribes in the Thracian and Dacian spheres of influence.

Etymology of the term sica is Latin in medieval and modern references, borrowed from earlier Balkan languages of the region. The exact linguistic origins are uncertain, but the word became the conventional Latin name for this type of dagger and is still used in scholarly descriptions today. In studies of ancient weaponry, the sica is distinguished from longer scimitars and from the falx, a larger sickle-shaped blade used by some Thracian and Dacian warriors.

In modern reference works, the sica is primarily discussed as an antiquarian weapon and a regional blade symbol of the Thracian-Dacian cultural area, appearing in art, inscriptions, and museum collections to illustrate ancient martial traditions.