680:
587:
87:
187:
324:), the convex surface of which measures 2.5 ft (76 cm) in width and 4 ft (120 cm) in length, the thickness at the rim being a palm's breadth. It is made of two planks glued together, the outer surface being then covered first with canvas and then with calfskin. Its upper and lower rims are strengthened by an iron edging that protects it from descending blows and from injury when rested on the ground. It also has an iron
1299:
43:
507:
674:
Now Pompey was anxious to lead
Orestes into conflict before he should find out the number of the Romans, for fear that when he learned it he might retreat... he kept the rest behind... in a kneeling position and covered with their shields, causing them to remain motionless, so that Orestes should not
440:
The best surviving example, from Dura-Europos in Syria, was 105.5 centimetres (41.5 in) high, 41 centimetres (16 in) across, and 30 centimetres (12 in) deep (due to its semicylindrical nature). It is made from strips of wood that are 30 to 80 millimetres (1.2 to 3.1 in) wide and 1.5 to
628:
by joining their shields, and rested their left knees on the ground. The barbarians... threw aside their bows, leaped from their horses, and drawing their daggers, came up close to put an end to them. At this the Romans sprang to their feet, extended their battle-line... and confronting the foe face
552:
Scaeva, with one eye gone, his thigh and shoulder wounded, and his shield bored through in a hundred and twenty places, continued to guard the gate of a fortress put in his charge. Acilius in the sea-fight at
Massilia grasped the stern of one of the enemy’s ships, and when his right hand was lopped
250:
and a mass of spears pointing towards the enemy. Its compactness provided a thrusting force that had a great impact on the enemy and made frontal assaults against it very difficult. However, it worked only if the soldiers kept the formation tight and had the discipline needed to keep its compactness
245:
were heavy infantrymen who originally wore bronze shields and helmets. The phalanx was a compact, rectangular mass military formation. The soldiers lined up in very tight ranks in a formation that was eight lines deep. The phalanx advanced in unison, which encouraged cohesion among the troops. It
707:
Accordingly some of the gates were opened by , and as soon as a few others had entered, all, both inside and outside, at a given signal, raised a shout and struck their spears upon their shields, and the trumpeters blew a blast, with the result that utter panic overwhelmed the
251:
in the thick of the battle. It was a rigid form of fighting and its maneuverability was limited. The small shields provided less protection. However, their smaller size afforded more mobility. Their round shape enabled the soldiers to interlock them to hold the line together.
656:
For if decided to lock shields for the purpose of avoiding the arrows by the closeness of their array, the were upon them with a rush, striking down some, and at least scattering the others; and if they extended their ranks to avoid this, they would be struck with the
576:
allowed packed formations of legionaries to overlap their shields to provide an effective barrier against projectiles. The most novel (and specialised, for it afforded negligible protection against other attacks) use was the
177:
in modern times. This was not the only kind the Romans used; Roman shields were of varying types depending on the role of the soldier who carried it. Oval, circular and rectangular shapes were used throughout Roman history.
436:
was a 10-kilogram (22 lb) large rectangle curved shield made from three sheets of wood glued together and covered with canvas and leather, usually with a spindle shaped boss along the vertical length of the shield.
441:
2 millimetres (0.059 to 0.079 in) thick. They are put together in three layers, so that the total thickness of the wood layer is 4.5 to 6 millimetres (0.18 to 0.24 in). It was likely well made and extremely sturdy.
863:
The scutum, originally elliptical, had assumed a rectangular shape by the early days of the empire. An imperial scutum comprised strips of bentwood, steamed over a form into a convex curve to deflect blows and
569:: "For a long time there was pushing of shield against shield and thrusting with the sword, as they were at first cautiously looking for a chance to wound others without being wounded themselves."
336:
Roman rectangular scutums of later eras were smaller than
Republican oval scutums and often varied in length from approximately 37 to 42 in (94 to 107 cm) tall (approximately 3 to 3.5
453:
was light enough to be held in one hand and its large height and width covered the entire wielder, making him very unlikely to be hit by missile fire and in hand-to-hand combat. The metal
173:, which was larger. Originally, it was oblong and convex, but by the first century BC, it had developed into the rectangular, semi-cylindrical shield that is popularly associated with the
760:
had its shields painted in a manner peculiar to itself. The name of each soldier was also written on his shield, together with the number of the cohort and century to which he belonged.
583:(Latin for "tortoise"), which added legionaries holding shields from above to protect against descending projectiles (such as arrows, spears, or objects thrown by defenders on walls).
1131:
1157:
1221:
1050:"The Arms and Armour from Dura-Europos, Syria : Weaponry Recovered from the Roman Garrison Town and the Sassanid Siegeworks during the Excavations, 1922-37"
1247:
James, Simon (2004). Excavations at Dura-Europos 1928–1937. Final Report VII. The Arms and Armour and Other
Military Equipment. London: British Museum Press.
64:
850:
1268:
Nabbefeld, Ansgar (2008). Roman
Shields. Studies on archaeological finds and iconographic evidence from the end of Republic to the late Empire. Cologne.
1105:
925:
946:
Ancient units of measurement: Ancient Ports - Ports
Antiques. Ancient Ports - Ports Antiques | THE catalogue of Ancient Ports. (2023, July 22).
553:
off, rivaling the famous exploit of the Greek hero
Cynegirus, boarded the ship and drove the enemy before him with the boss of his shield.
1028:
1053:
1360:
298:
mentioned the use of the long shield in a battle that took place in 366 BC. Couissin notes archaeological evidence shows that the
51:
390:) indicate the subsequent use of oval or round shields which were not semi-cylindrical but were either dished (bowl-shaped) or flat.
469:
could fail from a heavy cutting or piercing blow, which was experienced in the Roman campaigns against
Carthage and Dacia where the
212:
In the early days of ancient Rome (from the late regal period to the first part of the early republican period) Roman soldiers wore
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1273:
1263:
781:, which became famous in the 19th century for its waterproof menswear. Hence the name, which in Latin means "water shield".
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formation were introduced in the early fourth century BC, before the conflicts between the Romans and the
Samnites.
1336:
721:
17:
842:
332:) fixed to it which turns aside the most formidable blows from stones, spears, swords, and other heavy missiles.
306:
long before the
Samnite Wars and argues that it was not obtained from the Samnites. In some parts of Italy the
624:
One day, when they fell into an ambush and were being struck by dense showers of arrows, suddenly formed the
481:
could easily penetrate and rip through it. The effects of these weapons prompted design changes that made the
340:, covering the shoulder to top of knee), and 24 to 33 in (61 to 84 cm) wide (approximately 2 to 2.7
774:
545:
533:: "Their arms also give the men both protection and confidence, which they owed to the size of the shield."
352:
1101:
1180:
921:
947:
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also made it an auxiliary punching weapon. Its composite construction meant that early versions of the
91:
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is used for a flat and hardened part of the anatomy of an animal, such as the shell of a turtle.
726:
152:
56:
31:
1370:
1365:
770:
757:
679:
510:
1012:
1128:"The Life of Julius Caesar, from The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by C. Suetonius Tranquillus"
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1314:
1049:
756:
Lest the soldiers in the confusion of battle should be separated from their comrades, every
254:
Sometime in the early fourth century BC, the Romans changed their military tactics from the
637:
was not invincible, as Dio also gives an account of a Roman shield array being defeated by
262:
formation, which was much more flexible. This involved a change in military equipment. The
586:
8:
1304:
405:" survived the Fall of the Western Empire and remained in the military vocabulary of the
134:
1347:
for the Study and Photographs of Roman Legion and Auxillia Shield and Painting Patterns
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684:
601:
566:
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p. 34 of Military History: The Definitive Visual Guide to the Objects of Warfare By DK
86:
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1213:
1199:
1018:
649:
592:
579:
421:
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for online translations of Plutarch, Polybius, Cassius Dio and other antique authors
1278:
Robinson, H.R. (1975). The Armour of Imperial Rome. London: Arms and Armour Press.
1203:
1195:
526:
406:
617:
163:). In the former, the soldiers carried a round shield, which the Romans called a
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1181:"A new scenario for the evolutionary origin of hair, feather, and avian scales"
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812:
645:
417:
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303:
156:
130:
113:
1342:
1354:
1258:
McDowall, Simon (1994). Late Roman Infantryman AD236–565. Osprey Publishing.
364:
144:
The Romans adopted it when they switched from the military formation of the
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986:
717:
387:
372:
198:
138:
96:
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Cassius Scaeva and legionary Gaius Acilius who fought under Caesar in the
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https://www.ancientportsantiques.com/ancient-measures/units-of-measure/
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186:
967:
p. 188 of The War Texts: 1 QM and Related Manuscripts By Jean Duhaime
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evolved into the rectangular (or sub-rectangular) type of the early
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494:, which it replaced, provided less protective coverage than the
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being a Samnite shield and wrote that the oblong shield and the
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in the 8th century BC, and subsequently spread to the Italians,
42:
360:
270:. Some ancient writers thought that the Romans had adopted the
126:
744:"valour, clemency, justice and piety". The 5th century writer
232:), smaller (than the scutum) round shields used in the Greek
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597:
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when they fought against the Samnites in the first or second
227:
221:
206:
604:. There are faint eagle-wing and thunderbolt motifs on the
477:
283:
316:
gave a description of the early second-century scutum BC:
675:
ascertain their presence until he came to close quarters.
1017:. Vol. 1. Cambridge University Press. p. 196.
409:. Even in the 11th century, the Byzantines called their
1011:
Sabin, Philip; van Wees, Hans; Whitby, Michael (2007).
485:
more resilient such as thicker planks and metal edges.
629:
to face, fell upon them... and cut down great numbers.
1294:
1052:. University College London (University of London).
911:
Salmon, E.T., Samnium and the Samnites (1967), p.107
197:
The first depictions of the scutum are by the tatti
1010:
843:"Roman Gladius and Scutum: Carving out an Empire"
687:, with each shield representing a different unit.
1352:
1014:The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Warfare
320:The Roman panoply consists firstly of a shield (
902:Couissin P., Les armes romaines, pp. 224, 240-7
444:
398:show soldiers wielding oval or round shields.
378:By the end of the 3rd century the rectangular
724:and restoring the republic, according to the
1146:
548:and the battle of Massilia, respectively:
394:from the end of the 3rd century until the
382:seems to have disappeared. Fourth century
363:, and there is an actual example found at
310:had been used since pre-historical times.
1207:
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764:
678:
585:
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185:
85:
67:of all important aspects of the article.
893:Plutarch Parallel Lives, Camillus, 40.4
875:Sallust, The Conspiracy of Catiline, 51
840:
683:A selection of shield designs from the
525:gave Roman soldiers an edge over their
14:
1353:
1156:. University of Chicago. p. 400.
1104:. University of Chicago. p. 499.
924:. University of Chicago. p. 319.
141:starting about the fourth century BC.
63:Please consider expanding the lead to
1134:from the original on 26 December 2022
1130:. University of Chicago. p. 91.
928:from the original on 21 February 2022
620:'s men while on campaign in Armenia:
565:described Roman against Roman in the
112:
1160:from the original on 2 November 2022
1108:from the original on 15 January 2023
1056:from the original on 15 January 2023
151:of the Greeks to the formation with
36:
976:p. 149 of Gladiators By Ben Hubbard
716:was awarded a golden shield by the
282:(343–341 BC, 327–304 BC). However,
118:
27:Type of shield used in Ancient Rome
24:
777:, and by UK luxury clothing maker
25:
1382:
1361:Ancient Roman legionary equipment
1290:
853:from the original on June 4, 2021
540:recorded anecdotes of the heroic
386:(especially from the fortress of
1297:
1200:10.1111/j.1469-7580.2008.01041.x
1082:from the original on 6 July 2015
884:Livy, The History of Rome, 8.8.3
420:. σκυτατοί), and several modern
41:
1335:"Roman Shield Study Material",
1227:from the original on 2023-01-15
1172:
1120:
1094:
1078:. Yale University Art Gallery.
1068:
1042:
1031:from the original on 2023-01-15
1004:
993:from the original on 2020-08-09
979:
970:
961:
841:Guttman, Jon (13 August 2011).
773:has been adopted as one of the
661:
169:. In the latter, they used the
55:may be too short to adequately
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940:
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896:
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691:Dio also notes the use of the
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137:, most notably by the army of
65:provide an accessible overview
13:
1:
1241:
738:, serving as a symbol of the
670:being used to aid an ambush:
424:use derivatives of the word.
353:Altar of Domitius Ahenobarbus
1338:Roman Legion Shield Patterns
1313:"Roman Military Equipment",
1154:"The Res Gestae of Augustus"
445:Advantages and disadvantages
427:
220:
7:
1102:"The Histories of Polybius"
922:"The Histories of Polybius"
797:
734:says, was hung outside the
712:In 27 BC, the emperor
521:According to Polybius, the
498:but was much more durable.
190:Reproduction of an Iberian
10:
1387:
752:helped in identification:
612:Dio gives an account of a
228:
181:
29:
302:was in general use among
828:
775:88 modern constellations
367:in Egypt. Gradually the
1341:(group), archived from
1329:, University of Chicago
727:Res Gestae Divi Augusti
720:for his part in ending
461:, in the centre of the
32:Scutum (disambiguation)
765:Other uses of the word
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666:Cassius Dio describes
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218:, which were like the
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1179:Dhouailly, D (2009).
784:In zoology, the term
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697:psychological warfare
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589:
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513:of an early imperial
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189:
89:
1326:Lacus Curtius Online
546:Battle of Dyrrachium
384:archaeological finds
286:did not mention the
30:For other uses, see
1345:on February 9, 2013
1305:Ancient Rome portal
701:capture of Syracuse
616:put to good use by
596:performed during a
529:enemies during the
351:is depicted on the
114:[ˈskuːt̪ʊ̃]
1188:Journal of Anatomy
987:"Legio XX--Scutum"
849:. Historynet LLC.
730:. The shield, the
689:
685:Notitia Dignitatum
610:
567:Battle of Philippi
519:
195:
100:
1274:978-3-89646-138-4
1264:978-1-8553-2419-0
1076:"Scutum (Shield)"
816:(shield portrait)
650:Battle of Carrhae
572:The shape of the
557:The Roman writer
536:The Roman writer
422:Romance languages
411:armoured soldiers
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748:added that
736:Curia Julia
708:Syracusans.
699:during the
618:Marc Antony
559:Cassius Dio
511:Reenactment
502:Combat uses
326:shield boss
280:Samnite War
248:shield wall
129:used among
1355:Categories
1242:References
1231:2022-01-15
1060:6 December
1035:2020-09-20
997:2020-04-15
847:HistoryNet
779:Aquascutum
732:Res Gestae
531:Punic Wars
401:The word "
342:Roman feet
338:Roman feet
864:missiles.
769:The name
542:centurion
538:Suetonius
515:legionary
428:Structure
347:The oval
292:manipular
260:manipular
246:formed a
203:Illyrians
135:antiquity
95:found at
57:summarize
1222:Archived
1218:19422430
1158:Archived
1132:Archived
1106:Archived
1080:Archived
1054:Archived
1029:Archived
991:Archived
932:24 March
926:Archived
851:Archived
824:(shield)
808:(shield)
798:See also
746:Vegetius
741:princeps
714:Augustus
639:Parthian
414:skutatoi
314:Polybius
296:Plutarch
274:and the
272:maniples
243:hoplites
161:manipuli
153:maniples
1209:2736124
857:June 4,
805:Clipeus
657:arrows.
648:at the
642:knights
635:testudo
626:testudo
614:testudo
593:testudo
580:testudo
561:in his
472:falcata
268:clipeus
256:hoplite
239:phalanx
235:hoplite
229:ἀσπίδες
222:aspides
215:clipeus
182:History
166:clipeus
149:phalanx
146:hoplite
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1164:7 July
1138:7 July
1112:7 July
1086:7 July
1021:
792:scutum
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758:cohort
718:senate
693:scutum
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264:scutum
241:. The
205:, and
192:scutum
175:scutum
171:scutum
127:shield
105:scutum
92:Scutum
1225:(PDF)
1184:(PDF)
829:Notes
821:Parma
787:scute
750:scuta
668:scuta
606:scuta
598:siege
491:aspis
457:, or
207:Celts
157:Latin
123:scuta
1280:ISBN
1270:ISBN
1260:ISBN
1249:ISBN
1214:PMID
1166:2015
1140:2015
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1088:2015
1062:2016
1019:ISBN
934:2018
859:2021
644:and
590:The
488:The
478:falx
475:and
459:umbo
455:boss
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432:The
344:).
330:umbo
284:Livy
102:The
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