I’m Roland Warzecha — professional illustrator and swordsman. The name Dimicator comes from the Latin for “sword fighter.” I share cutting-edge research into historical martial arts, focusing in particular on Viking and high medieval sword-and-shield combat. My work is carried out in collaboration with museums, fellow martial artists, and scholars around the world.
Movement, Weapon Handling, and a 10th-Century Masterpiece
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Hello fellow history enthusiasts and blade aficionados, Whether we study historical martial arts or historical weapons, one question continually arises: why were things done this way? The answer may lie partly in movement and partly in craftsmanship. More often than not, however, it emerges from the dialogue between maker and user—a relationship encapsulated in the artefacts of our martial heritage. The Longpoint Lesson — Hand-Foot Coordination in FencingWhat makes a fencing action truly irresistible? At the heart of our answer lies the concept of tempo — the relationship between time, distance, and the coordinated movement of hand and foot. In my latest Patreon post, I explain how Cornelius Berthold's longpoint lesson helps students develop exactly these skills, why it has become a cornerstone of our teaching, and how its underlying principles can improve both your fencing practice and your interpretation of historical fight books. The post features Cornelius' recent video demonstrating the exercise in action, together with a free preview from our online courses. If you would like to explore these ideas in greater depth, our I.33 online courses are available with 15% off using the code SUMMERWEDDING, or simply follow the links below with the discount already applied:
I hope to see you on Patreon — and perhaps later on the fencing floor.
What a Viking Age Fighting Knife RevealsResearch into historical ergonomics continues to produce fascinating questions. On my Patreon, a brief video clip demonstrates the handling of a distinctive long fighting knife from the Viking Age, known primarily from finds around the Baltic Sea and beyond. The post examines a possible wrist strap attached to the typical tang loop to support the rather plain grip design, and how these features may have contributed to precise blade control. As always, practical handling complements archaeological evidence. The video first premiered on Patreon and is now freely available to everyone. I hope you will find it useful
An INGELRI Sword — Collected in One PlaceSome years ago, my friend Arthur von Eschen and I examined one particular sword from the collection of the Swiss National Museum: the graceful INGELRI sword (inventory no. LM 16061), dating from the late 10th or early 11th century. Its elegant proportions, inscriptions, geometry, and subtle hilt design have featured in numerous articles, videos, drawings, and image galleries. To make this material easier to access, I have now brought everything together in a single resource. The collection includes full-scale drawings, the complete geometric layout, detailed illustrations of the inscriptions, photographs, measurements, and links to all previous posts devoted to this remarkable weapon. Patrons of the relevant tiers have access as part of their membership. The complete documentation is also available as a one-time purchase in my online shop.
A Book Worth ReadingFinally, I would like to recommend a newly published book by fellow illustrator and history enthusiast Timm Radt. Men in Blech presents a richly illustrated survey of European armour from around 1150 to 1650 through the lives of some twenty-five historical knights. The book introduces actual knights whose effigies and funerary monuments survive, allowing the development of armour to be followed across five centuries. Detailed illustrations accompany carefully researched text, making the volume an excellent resource for anyone interested in medieval arms, armour, castles, or historical reconstruction. The book is available in German only. You can find additional preview images in my Patreon post or visit the publisher's website directly. Thank you, as always, for your interest and continued support. Swords up!⚔️ Roland P.S. If you enjoyed this newsletter, please recommend it to your friends. They can sign up here or on my website. Or simply forward them this email. If you wish to read more, find hundreds of related posts on my Patreon. Special thanks to all my loyal supporters on Patreon – you keep me going! And if you are not a patron yet, you are most welcome to join. If you feel like dropping a coin into my tip jar, you can do so here. You are receiving this newsletter because you have signed up for it, or because you have previously expressed your interest in my work and events. If you prefer to not receive further emails, you can unsubscribe below. |
Dimicator
I’m Roland Warzecha — professional illustrator and swordsman. The name Dimicator comes from the Latin for “sword fighter.” I share cutting-edge research into historical martial arts, focusing in particular on Viking and high medieval sword-and-shield combat. My work is carried out in collaboration with museums, fellow martial artists, and scholars around the world.
Hello fellow history enthusiasts and blade aficionados, questions about historical body proportions come up regularly when discussing historical and prehistoric fighting techniques. Fortunately, archaeology provides some surprisingly clear answers. How tall were Europeans of the Roman era compared with modern people? Were People Smaller in the Past? One widespread assumption is that human body height increased steadily throughout history and that people today are generally taller than our...
Hello fellow history enthusiasts and blade aficionados, sometimes the most interesting discoveries come not from finding something new, but from looking again at familiar things. Here are a few recommendations and updates that I hope you will enjoy. A replica fishtail dagger which I recently got to play with in Harald Meller's office. A Stone Age Misconception? Some ideas become so widespread that they eventually start to feel self-evident. One such example concerns Late Neolithic fishtail...
History in Stone — And Steel Hello fellow history enthusiasts and sword lovers, living in rural Mecklenburg means being surrounded by traces of the past. Within only a few kilometres of where I live, one encounters Neolithic monuments, Bronze Age burial mounds, Iron Age cemeteries, Slavic settlement history, and medieval fieldstone churches. Much of this remarkable heritage remains little known beyond the region itself, despite its historical significance and enormous cultural potential....