The original scimitar was called a "shamshir", meaning "lions tail", and had a deeply curved blade that was almost a half circle. Originally developed in Persia, this type of blade saw immense popularity in many Muslim and Indian regions across Europe and Eurasia.

The oversized design of the blade caused the weapon to be fairly heavy - much more so that the equivalent European short sword. This weight added impressive power to a strike made with the weapon, but that same weight made the blades more difficult to control, and awkward in the close quarters of combat at sea.

Due to these problems, the design of the Scimitar saw many changes as it's dimensions were modified over the centuries to better match it's owner's intended application, but the signature curve has always remained a signature mainstay of the weapon.