Roman Gladius

Symbolically, the sword is a simile for The Word of God. In this book of symbols, the Whore is to be judged by the Word of God. What is written in the Scriptures is the plumb line between truth and error. 

The Word is an authoritative and powerful command of the Messiah from the breath of His lips. By His Word, He will smite the nations and ‘tread the wine press’ of the fury and wrath of God.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 

. . . in his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth issued a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. Revelation 1:16

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.” Revelation 2:12 

From his mouth issues a sharp sword with which to smite the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. Revelation 19:15 

In the Old Testament when a nation is smitten, it is utterly destroyed.

Case in point, the Philistines were a plague on Judah’s southern border from the time of Joshua. Then early in the reign of Hezekiah, the Philistines disappear from the historical record. The ancient records of Egypt or Assyria no longer make any reference to them.

He smote the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city. 2Kings 18:8