Left-handed people

[spiritusdilutus]

So, are there any records on left-handed people in ancient times? Ones specifically mentioning people that favour their other hand, or maybe soldiers in battle wielding a weapon in the left hand.

Were there possibly any custom made swords or axes for the purpose?

[Torvus]

I know that with Rome, they would just train any lefties to use their right hand to fight. as for custom made swords and axes, I don't think so. you pick up a sword, it's going to work just as well whether you are wielding it in your right hand or left.

[spiritusdilutus]

I know that with Rome, they would just train any lefties to use their right hand to fight. as for custom made swords and axes, I don't think so. you pick up a sword, it's going to work just as well whether you are wielding it in your right hand or left.

Yeah you`re right. I asked just in case there was a single weapon accustomed only to right-handed people.
Hmm, I could have guessed it was like that with Rome. No making an exception for a small minority, getting them to use the right hand seemed a cheaper and a quicker way around it.

[Ludens]

I know that with Rome, they would just train any lefties to use their right hand to fight.

Could you cite a source for this? It seems logical, but I don't think we know this for sure. The obsession with forcing children to use their right hand may be something of the last two centuries.

There's actually an interesting trend in human left-handedness. Apparently, when the species first appeared, 150000-200000 years ago, let's say, half the population was left handed. Nowadays, supposedly 1 in 20 are left-handed.

I rather doubt that, since mammals (and even birds) also have a preference for the left or right side. Handedness is not an uniquely human trait, so presumably there was a bias in our direct ancestor that would have been transferred to our species. Also, the percentage of left-handedness varies between cultures.

[antisocialmunky]

Actually handedness seems to be present in most creatures with bilateral symmetry. '_'

Its even been theorized that Trilobites were 'right handed' because they always favored turning right when predators attacked them. Apparantly its because of that almost all trilobite fossils with bite damage have it on the right side.

[bobbin]

AFIAK the romans thought being left handed was unlucky, hence the use of sinister (derived form the latin for left) today to mean something that is evil.

[Subotan]

AFIAK, the Romans had special cohorts for left handed people.

[Blxz]

Actually handedness seems to be present in most creatures with bilateral symmetry. '_'

I believe that polar bears are 100% left handed. I cannot back up that statement with any sources unfortunately but I distinctly remember reading in more than one biology journal that all polar bears that have ever been recorded, wild and captivity, will only use there left hand to swipe or paw something while standing on there right hand. I actually remember one journal making a small point about it. And thos ein captivity can be teased to stand up and swipe at food. They always either only use their left hand, or do multiple swipes with boht hands but always starting with there left hand.

Anyone able to back this up with sources maybe?

[G. Septimus]

i Think there is
there must be. but ancient bioghraphy does'nt tell us about the persons left handness

[spiritusdilutus]

i Think there is
there must be. but ancient bioghraphy does'nt tell us about the persons left handness

Ok, I am not looking for the person`s exact description of the preferred hand, just anything recording the phenomena.

[Macilrille]

Difficult to fight left-handers though, as their attacks come from an unexpected angle.

Edited to add, an angle/way that you have not trained as much to reflectively parry.

[spiritusdilutus]

Difficult to fight left-handers though, as their attacks come from an unexpected angle.

Edited to add, an angle/way that you have not trained as much to reflectively parry.

Good point

[G. Septimus]

Difficult to fight left-handers though, as their attacks come from an unexpected angle.

Edited to add, an angle/way that you have not trained as much to reflectively parry.

yeah, we think that they're gonna attack from the right, but they attack from the left.
so, if maybe left handed generals attack with there left wing first

[antisocialmunky]

Many warriors during the Middle Ages learned to fight with both hands against people fighting with either hand. Probably the same goes true for the EB period.

[Macilrille]

yeah, we think that they're gonna attack from the right, but they attack from the left.
so, if maybe left handed generals attack with there left wing first

Nope not at all like that, it is only in duels/ one-on-one fights. You have trained against 90% right-handed people, if unlucky only against them. That means that the reflective defensive reactions you have trained is partly useless when it comes to facing a lefthander as his natural attacks come from the opposite places you are used to. And they come in from the weapon side instead of from the shield side.

It is a bit hard to explain, but I hope I succeeded somewhat, it goes even for people who are lefthanded themselves and for people like me who have trained to fight with both hands and/or two weapons. A part of Christopher "Lefty" Cold-Ravnkilde's fame comes from being left-handed, he is extremely good, but that he is a lefty only adds to it.

[A Very Super Market]

I think something with like left-handedness, a genetic trait shared by one tenth of the population, it would be acceptable to assume that it was present in EB's timeframe.

[Tellos Athenaios]

A few things:

1. Left or right handedness matters relatively little if it doesn't come down to fine & precise movements; in particular because the world is sort of right-handed by default many left-handed people will have to learn to wield right-handed tools just the same. You'll find that left-handed people often can work with right-handed scissors and similar tools; sometimes so much so that they can not or no longer wield left-handed equivalents. Also many often used movements become ingrained nerve cells of the spine and therefore somewhat disconnected from dexterity. In any case working with tools is about making them a habit.
2. Many fighting styles are quite ambidextrous too: chucking a javelin for instance. So it is really about what hand you happen to learn the movements with.
3. Some fighting styles force the use of the right-hand because the majority prefers the right hand and the formation demands you all use the same hand. Extremely close-order infantry (phalanx and similar shield-walls) or cavalry (knee-to-knee charging formation of some cataphracts) spring to mind.

Also: left-handedness is actually the absence of a genetic trait (right-handedness can be by birth; left-handedness however can't) combined with a better-than-average right brain-half.

[ARCHIPPOS]

well my father was born left-handed... then in primary school the teachers made him use his right hand (we're talking about the 50's) so ever since he can write with both hands. hmmmmm, i don't think that using your "good" left hand would have worked in a phallanx context though...and i've seen no left-handers having problems in modern-day army drills

[MButcher]

A few things:
Left or right handedness matters relatively little if it doesn't come down to fine & precise movements; in particular because the world is sort of right-handed by default many left-handed people will have to learn to wield right-handed tools just the same. You'll find that left-handed people often can work with right-handed scissors and similar tools; sometimes so much so that they can not or no longer wield left-handed equivalents. Also many often used movements become ingrained nerve cells of the spine and therefore somewhat disconnected from dexterity. In any case working with tools is about making them a habit.

I can personally attest to this, I'm left handed but my right hand has become dominant in all but writing.

[Fisherking]

I don’t recall much more about the piece than reading it but long ago I was reading on Roman military tactics.

A part of the article said that they would place lefties on the flank to stop the lines from drifting as they fought.

There is little genetic evidence that left-handedness is inherited. I think only one protein has been found that slightly increases the chance that someone is left handed.

The best evidence is that it has to do with elevated testosterone levels in the fetus, also would explain why only 2% of women are left handed.

Lefties occur throughout nature, not just humans, and it seems they have a survivability advantage in confrontations because of their rarity

[Macilrille]

A part of the article said that they would place lefties on the flank to stop the lines from drifting as they fought.

A natural tendency fighting is to get as much cover from the guy on your weapon side's shield. This is what makes line drift. Positioning lefties on the left would split the unit as the flanks would drift in opposite directions. Positioning then on the right would make the unit too close. I am very dubious about this remembered article you quote. It may be something you saw in The Sun or something equivalent for all you recall.

Not even all scientific articles are correct and artciles dealing with history appear in some very "popular" forms sometimes in less serious magazines for the broad public.

I am sorry to be an arrogant and stubborn mule, but your vague memory of something you do not remember where, when or specifically what you read is no valid source.

I shall make some inquiries though to avoid misunderstandings. We should hopefully be able to validate or discount this theory in 2-3 days.

I still feel this thread has run its course, but also that such a matter needs resolving, for now people reading this thread will vaguely remember having read somewhere and in 4-5 years with dimmed memory pass on something probably incorrect as truth...

[madbriton]

If you want another example of left-handedness in the Bible, Ehud was a hero from the Book of Judges who killed Eglon, the king of Moab, helped because the guards didn't see his sword on the opposite side from normal.

I know that one from a very silly song written by a poet and co at a Christian festival (I believe they were trying to find the most innapropriate Bible story to write a children's song about - this festival is quite open and liberal, otherwise they might not have got away with it!)