Why did the Spatha replace the Gladius? Is it an objectively better weapon?

Why did the Spatha replace the Gladius? Is it an objectively better weapon?

yes

The way Romans conducted warfare changed and their equipment also changed to reflect that.

Having your infantry based on dudes wearing heavy and expensive equipment and requiring a lot of skill and discipline to fight in close organize ranks, costed a lot of money for the Roman Empire, which was facing internal rebellions and civil wars. So Rome switch to a more cheaper alternatives to infantry tactics and gear, which involved them fighting more disorganize and having more various basic infantry roles / specialties instead of one central one. The decline of the heavily organize close-rank fighting favored the spatha, which to an individual, whether fighting more out of rank or posted as some guard on a frontier or garrison, is more useful for it's extra reach.

If you're fighting in a close-shield formation doesn't allow it's soldiers much mobility to fight out of rank (like phalanxes or the late Republic and early imperial legions) and using it as your primary weapon, then the gladius is better suited for being more ideal to enclosed and space restricted fighting, it's more longer point, and that since it's more wider and shorter, it's harder to bend and better for slashing if you were in reach. If not, then the spatha was often more useful for it's longer reach.

>decurio-8.jpg
>No handguard
The barbaric shit.

Adding onto this, Cavalry became a bigger and bigger role in dominating the battlefield. The Spatha is a cavalry sword more useful than a shorter shabby one.

>No handguard

You don't need a handguard when practicing shield based combat moron.

The groves are to let the blood out :-}

Yes.

>having your infantry based on dudes wearing heavy and expensive equipment and requiring a lot of skill and discipline to fight in close organize ranks, costed a lot of money for the Roman Empire, which was facing internal rebellions and civil wars. So Rome switch to a more cheaper alternatives to infantry tactics and gear

Yes, they switched from the expensive mail shirts, metal helmets, large shields, and gladius/pilum to the cheap mail shirt, helmet, large shield, spatha, javelins/darts and spear.

Nothing shabby 'bout a Gladius you pleb.