The Pugio was a trusty sidearm of the Roman warrior; wide and short bladed, it was a dedicated thrusting dagger. As swords can break or be lost in a combat, a sidearm of some sort is quite practical and the form of the Pugio is ideal for this purpose – the blade, both wide and short, would be quite resistant to breakage. The leaf-shaped tip ensures that the wound from a piercing strike would be made quite wide with mere inches of penetration.