LEGENDARY MYTHICAL WEAPONS WHICH SCULPTED HISTORY

CALADBOLG

The legendary Irish sword Caladbolg was wielded by Fergus mac

Róich. The two handed sword was so powerful that its

swinging made a circle like a rainbow which could be used to

decimate armies or cut off the tops of hills.

SHAMSHIR-E ZOMORRODNEGAR

Persian legends tell us of the sword Shamshir-e Zomorrodnegar,

originally the property of King Solomon. The sword was said to

be guarded by Fulad-zereh, a witch and mother of a ferocious

horned demon. She protected it so carefully because this

legendary mythological weapon was the only thing capable of

killing her son. If a person was wounded by Shamshir-e

Zomorrodnegar, the wound could only be treated by potion

made from, among other things, Fulad-zereh’s brain.

THUAN THIEN

The Vietnamese King Le Loi fought and chased the Mings out of

Vietnam from 1418-1428. His legendary weapon, the sword

Thuan Thien, translates as “Heaven’s Will”. The sword is said to

have increased the king’s size by many fold and given him

the strength of a thousand men.

SHARUR

Sharur translates as “smasher of thousands”. The weapon of

Mesopotamian god Ninurta, the mace was reputedly able to fly

wherever it wished and communicate with Ninurta. It was also

used to communicate the will of the god Enlil (a chief deity

in Sumerian religion) to Ninurta.

TIZONA

Along with La Colada, the Tizona is one of two legendary swords

attributed to Spanish conqueror El Cid which he used to

drive the Moors out of the Iberian Peninsula. Immediately

aware there was no escaping the mighty blade, El Cid’s

opponents would often turn and run from the Tizona.

The city of Burgos (near to his birthplace) in Spain

acquired what is said to be the sword in 2007.

RUYI JINGU BANG

Ruyi Jingu Bang is the magical staff of the immortal monkey king

Sun Wukong. The Monkey King went to the underwater

kingdom of the Dragon King looking for a weapon to match

his strength. After failing to find one, the Dragon Queen

suggested to give him a seemingly useless rod in their

treasury which began producing “heavenly light” in the

days before his arrival. The rod, weighing 17,550 pounds

(7,960 kg), shrank or grew according to Sun Wukong’s will.

When unused, the Monkey King shrank it to a needle

size and kept it behind his ear.

SWORD OF DAMOCLES

The story of the Sword of Damocles comes from the history of

Sicily as recounted by Timaeus of Tauromenium. Damocles was

a courtier in King Dionysius II of Syracuse’s court and was one

day lauding praises on the king for his fortune of having so

much power and wealth. Dionysius offered to change

places with the courtier, a proposal which Damocles quickly

accepted. But, to show the perils that come with power,

the king had a massive sword hung above the throne by

just one hair of a horse’s tail. Damocles begged the

king to take back the responsibility.

PASHUPATASTRA

The Pashupatastra is one of the most powerful weapons in all

of Hindu mythology. This legendary weapon, used via the mind,

eyes, words, or a bow, is capable of eradicating all living

beings and destroying all of creation. The personal weapon

of Lord Shiva, the god gave it to the warrior Arjuna. Knowing

better, Arjuna refrained from using the Pashupatastra

lest he destroy the entire world.