What is the meaning behind the saying: By Iron Not by the sword?

Question

I was looking up family history and found out that the motto translates to: By Iron Not by the sword. I can not find a definition anywhere.

The words that are being translated are: Ferro non gladio.

Answer 1

It means to achieve by building up or forging, not by tearing down or violence.
;) Dharma

Answer 2

The development of the sword was not possible until ancient civilizations discovered how to mine and work metal. Thus, the first swords were probably made of the oldest worked metal, pure copper. The earliest copper mines were in Egypt around 3700B.C., and in Anatolia (in what is now Turkey) around the same time. By about 1900B.C., copper working had spread across Europe, and presumably copper swords were made during this era. Copper alloyed with tin produces bronze, and this metal made stronger weapons than pure copper. The earliest bronze swords were made by the Egyptians in about 2500B.C. They made blades by heating bronze ingots or by casting molten metal in clay molds. Bronze swords were used throughout the ancient world, until bronze was replaced by iron as the metal used to make weapons. The Hittites knew how to smelt iron as early as 3000B.C., but an efficient method of forming the iron into blades was not discovered until somewhere around 1400 B.C. The Hittites were the first to harden iron for blades by heating it with carbon, hammering it into shape, and then quenching it in water. They kept their methods secret for as long as they could, but gradually ironworking spread across the ancient world. The Romans used iron swords with double blades, a weapon for hand-to-hand fighting. A bigger sword, which could be used to fight from horseback, came into vogue in Western Europe by the third century. Both the Vikings and Saxons were renowned swordsmiths. They used sophisticated ironworking techniques both in forming and decorating their blades
http://www.answers.com/topic/sword?cat=technology

Answer 3

How about
Smoothing something out or making it straight, with like an Iron
Not cuting it out like a sword
They used to say, Iron your own problem out.
Smooth it out.

Answer 4

Why would you need a translation when, according to you, "By Iron Not by the sword" translates to "By Iron Not by the sword"?

Answer 5

i think it means by being strong against something or someone and show strength; firmness or hardness we can win or succeed better than fighting.

Answer 6

Firmness, knowledge and will is better than war and violence in determining power and success.

Answer 7

hmmmm. An iron can be bent to make something of desire....
once you heat it, get it started.....
On the other hand if i don't suceed at what i am trying to do, ya can't kill me...

Answer 8

to me that would mean "by strength and not by violence"

Answer 9

its mean

make something that can kill people,but dont kill people.

keep your hand clean.











joke.

Answer 10

be strong,not violent