About: Ancient Pistol

Ancient Pistol is a swaggering soldier who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare. Though full of grandiose boasts about his prowess, he is essentially a coward. The character is introduced in Henry IV, Part 2 and reappears in The Merry Wives of Windsor and Henry V. The character's first name is never given. He is referred to as Falstaff's "ancient", meaning "ensign", or standard bearer.