DIOSKOURI

Crafting authentic, real weapons & armor

The Dioskouriis a company dedicated to the making of Hoplite weapons, armor and equipment in a different way than is currently available.

For over 30 years, I have had a passion for all things Ancient Greece. Like many living historians and reenactors today, I found that the options to find and buy quality reproductions were nil. All such items were of non-period materials, inferior manufacture, and were completely inaccurate in construction and appearance.

I find this situation completely unacceptable as many other time period communities have full access to perfectly accurate equipment. We, the Greek or Hellene community, are forced to buy all the junk produced in India and elsewhere. It’s either buy and wear completely over-sized, inaccurate junk that makes us look cartoonish or like we’re from a bad B-movie, or modify what we find to make it passably accurate. While I could have simply modified what I could find and go on my merry way, I felt someone had to step up and offer a better choice.

Throughout three decades of study, research and collecting, I have amassed a small but quality collection of real Greek artifacts and have many contacts with other collectors who have other artifact objects of extreme value for research.

Using all these factors… research, artifacts and a strong ability in the arts and crafts… I decided to not merely recreate objects after my own tastes or stylize such things as swords, helmets, etc. I went a step further than any other manufacturers today.....

I make all my items EXACTLY as the artifact pieces were made! I do not cut corners to save costs or time.  
Dioskouri uses only period correct materials and those available to the ancient Greeks!

Swords-

The Xiphos and Kopis swords are made from the exact tracings of the Xiphos found in northern Greece, which is to date the most complete Xiphos artifact ever found, and the Kopis housed in the British National Museum. Both represent the finest development of their sword types. Using a Xiphos and Kopis from my collection, I studied the method the Greeks used to assemble their swords. I felt it was important to use the period materials and the original construction method, as no other manufacturer does this. While some may try to sell you a stainless steel sword, this is inferior for any use but a decorative piece. 

The real artifact blades are actually a simple pattern Damascus steel. A microscopic examination of a number of period blades show de-lamination along the layers of forged steel.  A fact overlooked or unknown by reenactors and manufacturers alike! Dioskouri swords are all forged from Damascus steel and feature bronze bolsters. The hilts can be made from a variety of period materials such as wood, bone, or horn.  Dioskouri recommends using AAA grade figured Olivewood for a high quality appeal at little additional cost, but other Greek native woods can be used as well as black horn and bone. I cannot recommend ivory at this time as the cost is quite prohibitive.

 
SPEARS-

Dioskouri spears, like our swords, are made to be absolutely the real thing! They are traced directly from an early 5th century bronze Peloponnesian artifact spearhead in my collection. Reproduced in steel as would be correct for the Persian War period, they are heat-treated and double-tempered to be light and strong. They are finished with a razor keen edge and will give you a new found respect for the primary weapon of the Hoplite!

Future products will include: 

• Helmets

• Greaves

• Bronze shield fittings and Blazons

• Bronze armor scales and armor parts

• Cast Bronze Sarouters, 3 different patterns

 
Other items are still in development, please check back as additional items are produced and photographed and posted on the website. This is at the moment, a labor of love and not a full-time enterprise, so updates can be sporadic.  However please feel free to leave me comments, suggestions and requests. I am doing all this work to help you…the Hoplite reenactor to have quality Panoply items that are the most accurate found anywhere today!

~Michael DeMik        

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