Since 1992, I have dedicated my work to European Historical Martial Arts, specializing in medieval and Renaissance historical fencing, Greek boxing, pankration, Roman military and gladiatorial combat, and Spanish navaja knife fighting. I am a certified historical fencing master accredited by the Accademia Nazionale di Scherma and have earned numerous competitive titles within UISP and FIS competitions, including multiple national gold medals and national podium placements. I am also the founder of Sala d’Arme A. Marozzo, the largest European historical fencing association, active across most of Italy and internationally.
Alongside teaching regular historical fencing courses for Sala d’Arme Achille Marozzo, the biggest HEMA society in Europe co-founded, I conduct technical seminars at both national and international level. I have long been involved in historical reenactment, initially focusing on the Medieval and Renaissance periods and later specializing in the Roman era, in both military and gladiatorial contexts. I also teach stage combat for theatre and serve as an instructor at the Bernstein School of Musical Theater in Bologna, a private three-year university-level institution.
I am the author and co-author of numerous publications on historical martial arts, often produced in collaboration with leading instructors at the national level. My works on medieval fencing include L’arte cavalleresca del combattimento di Filippo Vadi (The Chivalric Art of Combat by Filippo Vadi), Flos Duellatorum di Fiore dei Liberi (Flos Duellatorum by Fiore dei Liberi), and La lancia, la spada, la daga (The Lance, the Sword, the Dagger).
My publications on Renaissance fencing include L’arte della spada di Anonimo Bolognese (The Art of the Sword by the Anonymous Bolognese), Opera Nova di Antonio Manciolino (Opera Nova by Antonio Manciolino), Monomachia di Francesco Altoni (Monomachia by Francesco Altoni), and L’arte perduta di combattere con lo scudo secondo la scuola italiana (The Lost Art of Fighting with the Shield According to the Italian School), all published by Il Cerchio. Additional works include Scherma Storica Italiana (Italian Historical Fencing), also released in English as The Swordsmanship of Renaissance Italy, Combattimento e difesa col pugnale nel Rinascimento Italiano (Combat and Defense with the Dagger in the Italian Renaissance), Dal campo di battaglia allo steccato (From the Battlefield to the Barrier), and Spada sola nella tradizione della Scuola Bolognese (Single Sword in the Tradition of the Bolognese School), published by Accademia Nazionale di Scherma.
I am also the author of Manuale del baratero (Manual of the Baratero), dedicated to nineteenth-century Spanish knife fighting (Planetario Editions), and the self-published manual Stage Combat – Combattimento di scena (Stage Combat), covering theatrical combat both unarmed and with weapons, including edged weapons and firearms. In addition, I have contributed articles to scholarly essay collections and conference proceedings on historical fencing and have written prefaces for several publications by fellow researchers.
Moreover, I love to write novels and tales full of action and historically accurate in many details: low fantasy, dark fantasy, historical, horror, and even sci-fi, Actually, I must confess that I began to study Historical European Martial Arts, many years ago, to avoid mistakes in the descriptions of fights and action scenes in my novels!
In 2018 I took the decision to follow also my passion for writing fiction and telling stories, and I published my first novel, since then I never stopped.
You can find out more about my first books in English, HEMA and novels under “Books”. There’s also a page about my books in Italian… because several of them will become available in English soon enough!
See my full martial CV here below.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Marco Rubboli
Email:
marco.rubboli@lacoronadacciaio.it
marco.rubboli@achillemarozzo.it
Education and Professional Qualifications
- Degree in Political Science
- Master of Historical and Artistic Fencing (Level III) — Accademia Nazionale di Scherma (2020)
(qualification equivalent to a university-level degree) - National Instructor of Olympic Fencing (Level II) — Accademia Nazionale di Scherma (2020)
- National Instructor of Historical and Artistic Fencing — Accademia Nazionale di Scherma (2011)
- Regional Instructor of Olympic Fencing — Accademia Nazionale di Scherma (April 6, 2016)
Websites and Social Media
Websites
- marco.rubboli.author
- perlacoronadacciaio
Historical Fencing, Martial Arts and Combat Sports — Study and Teaching
In 1996 I founded Sala d’Arme Achille Marozzo, the largest European organization dedicated to the study of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA), with particular focus on Italian medieval and Renaissance fencing.
Since 1996 I have taught regular historical fencing courses in Cesena, Rimini, Misano, Castel San Pietro Terme (Bologna), San Benedetto del Tronto, Genoa, and Imola. I currently teach in Cesena and Imola, including a monthly intensive course for instructors and advanced students.
Since 1996 I have been a member of the central Study Group of SAAM, later renamed the National Technical Committee, and I currently serve as its President. Through these programs I have trained instructors who now teach in numerous affiliated fencing schools.
I have conducted national and regional technical seminars continuously since 1998.
President of the association from 2005 to 2009.
Disciplines Taught (Courses and Seminars)
- Single sword (Dei Liberi, Marozzo, Manciolino, Anonymous Bolognese, Godinho)
- Sword and rotella (Marozzo, Manciolino, Anonymous Bolognese, Di Grassi, Anonymous Riccardiano, Godinho, Monte)
- Sword and dagger
- Sword and cloak
- Sword and buckler (including MS I.33)
- Two-handed sword
- Sword and imbracciatura shield
- Two swords
- Sword and grappling glove
- Saber (Vendrell y Eduart)
- Partisan
- Lance and pike
- Spear and polearms
- Axe, ronca and halberd
- Partisan and rotella
- Dagger systems (Italian traditions, Spanish navaja, Argentine esgrima criolla, 20th-century military systems)
- Dagger with cloak and related systems
- Unarmed defense against dagger
- Reconstructed Greco-Roman combat systems (sword and shield, spear and shield, gladiatorial combat)
- Ancient Greek boxing (pygme, pyx-lax) and pankration (reconstruction hypotheses)
Additional Martial Arts Training
- 2009: Certified Coach of Pygme and Pyx-Lax (ancient Greek boxing systems) with Maestro Fabio Tumazzo — Pammachia
- Ongoing training in Muay Thai, MMA, boxing, wrestling, and pankration with Maestro Filippo Cinarelli
- Numerous boxing and pankration matches in historical reenactment contexts
Institutional Roles
- 2009: Highest UISP technical qualification — Master Trainer
- Appointed National Director for Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance Fencing, later Director of the entire Fencing Sector (UISP)
- Former Board Member, FISAS – Federazione Italiana Scherma Antica e Storica
- Instructor (1995–1996), Compagnia Storica Borgo del Diavolo (Bologna)
- Board Member, Associazione di Scherma Antica Triskell (1995–1996)
Early Training and Formation (1992–2000)
- Training with Accademia di Scherma Tradizionale (1992–1995), studying historical weapons systems and later serving as assistant instructor
- Olympic fencing training at CUSB Bologna (foil and saber) with Maestro Rosario Preziosi and Maestro Franco Bimbi (1994–2000)
- Personal defense training (1994–1997), including unarmed combat, knife defense, knife and stick systems
- Archery training (since 1987)
- Shooting courses with pistol and rifle (1989)
- Hunting license holder since July 1989
- Splash Contact and Soft Air experience (1988–1990)
National and International Seminar Teaching (Selection)
1998–2025
Annual national seminars for Sala d’Arme Achille Marozzo.
2024
- Instructor, Sword and Rotella — Level II Instructor Course, Accademia Nazionale di Scherma (Pesaro)
- Seminar on Ridolfo Capoferro during exhibition Schiaminossi incisore 1572–1622
2023–2022
- Instructor at HEMA Summer Camp (Accademia Nazionale di Scherma & SAAM)
2016
- AEEA Toledo International Event — two seminars (Bolognese and Spanish schools)
- HEMAC “Florentia” — Spanish side-sword (Godinho)
2015–2014
- HEMAC Florentia — Bolognese school and Italian medieval two-handed sword
2004
- Historical European Martial Arts Convention, University of Dijon
- Vienna Historical Fencing Event
2002
- Historical European Martial Arts Convention, University of Dijon
Arms Master, Theatre, Academia and Media Work
- Since 2020: Lead instructor of Stage Combat, Bernstein School of Musical Theater (BSMT), Bologna
- Arms master, performer and coordinator in hundreds of historical shows and reenactments (Greek-Roman, Medieval and Renaissance periods)
- Gladiator performer and coordinator in historical Roman arenas (Nîmes, Pula, El Jem, Arezzo, Rimini, Otricoli)
- Founder of reenactment associations De Rebus Malatestianis and Legio XII Fulminata / Ludus Aemilius
Selected Projects
- 2024 — Author and narrator, theatrical fencing show Le armi degli eroi – Scherma e Letteratura
- 2021 — Arms master and trainer, Shakespeare’s Coriolanus, National Theatre of Tirana
- 2021 — Fencing Masterclass, Academy of Arts of Tirana
- Numerous stage combat workshops including opera training programs
- Multiple television appearances (RAI2, Canale5, RAI International, Tele1)
- Author, director and performer of theatrical fencing production Il Duello (1999)
Competitive Results (Selection)
2019 — UISP National Masters Tournament, Bronze Medal (Sword & Buckler)
2018 — UISP Medieval Team Championship, Silver Medal (Team), Individual Rank: 1st
2017 — UISP National Championship, Bronze Medal (Two-handed Sword); Team Gold
2016 — UISP Medieval Team Championship, Gold Medal
2015 — UISP Medieval Team Championship, Silver Medal
2014 — UISP National Champion, Gold Medal (Two-handed Sword); AIMA Masters Gold Medal
2013 — FIS National Champion (Sword & Round Target); FIS Silver (Sword and Buckler) multiple national medals; UISP National Champion (Sword & Imbracciatura)
2012 — UISP National Champion (Sword & Imbracciatura); multiple silver medals
2011 — UISP National Champion (Sword & Round Target)
Publications — Historical Martial Arts
2026
- Stage Combat – Combattimento di scena (self-published)
- Forthcoming: La scherma dei Greci e dei Romani
2023
- Spada Sola: nella tradizione della Scuola Bolognese – Periodo classico e tardo, Accademia Nazionale di Scherma
2022
- Dal campo di battaglia allo steccato (with Paolo Tassinari)
- Gli ultimi eroi dell’arena
2021
- Scherma storica italiana – Nozioni e principi fondamentali (+ English edition)
- Combattimento e difesa col Pugnale nel Rinascimento Italiano
2018–2001
- L’arte perduta di combattere con lo scudo secondo la scuola italiana
- La lancia, la spada, la daga
- Opera Nova
- Monomachia
- L’arte della spada
- Flos Duellatorum
- L’arte cavalleresca del combattimento
1994
- Translator: Manuale del Baratero (Spanish)