Tom Leoni

Tom Leoni (1966 - ) was born in Switzerland and grew up in Northern Italy, where he acquired a thorough Classical education and a passion for historical Renaissance swordsmanship. Since his coming to America in 1990, he has become known in the growing Western Martial Arts community for his work on historical Italian fencing theory and technique, especially on the Italian rapier and the Bolognese school. As a researcher, he has also shed considerable light on Renaissance dueling jurisprudence in Northern Italy. His 2005 book "The Art of Dueling" presented the English-speaking public with the first critical translation of Salvator Fabris' influential 1606 rapier-fencing title, "Scienza d'Arme." Tom followed in 2010 with "Venetian Rapier: Nicoletto Giganti's 1606 Rapier Fencing Curriculim," and with "The Complete Renaissance Swordsman: Antonio Manciolino's Opera Nova of 1531." Tom has also contributed articles to various Western Martial Arts anthologies--such as "SPADA II" and "In the Service of Mars"--as well as to historical swordsmanship magazines such as WMA Illustrated. Highly sought after as a translator of highly technical fencing material, he has also provided his services to the Fencing Master's Program at San Jose State University, and has privately released a successful translation of Fiore de' Liberi's "Fior di Battaglia" (Getty MS version). As a swordsmanship instructor, Tom Leoni regularly appears at International events and reunions both in the US and abroad--including WMAW, ISMAC, 4W, VISS, NHSC, the Australian Historical Fencing Convention and others. Tom's formal education ranges from the humanities to classical music to business administration. He now lives in Alexandria, Virginia, where he pursues a MA/Ph. D. in medieval studies, and where he teaches historical swordsmanship at the renowned Virginia Academy of Fencing.