During the 5th century AD, the Franks and other Barbarians invaded and destroyed the Roman Empire. This combat axe, called a ºfrancisqueº, was one of the Frankish warrior's most fearsome weapons. It was used in hand-to-hand combat, or hurled at the enemy. The warrior also had javelins, spears, and long swords. Helmets, like that of Vezeronce, dating from the 6th century, were considered more as ceremonial objects, reserved for princes.
