longbow Posted March 12, 2005 Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 Hi there,i know that Saxon shields (willow board with leather coverings) will break apart after three good whacks with a sword.My question is how long would a roman shield last,would the soldiers have spare shields passed to the front rank?would a soldier with a broken shield pull back and be replaced?this would have to be done pretty quickly,before the celts could get in the gap and causing havoc in the ranks.Or would he just carry on with his gladius and hope for the best? any ideas. thx L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scanderbeg Posted March 12, 2005 Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 The shape of the Scutum is what made it so great. It allowed it to endure tough hits and the sloped sides made arrows lose their force or just slide off on a tangent. The center was made of tough bronze and was used as a weapon to whack the enemy and then stab. I don't know about the whole breaking thing though. The shields were very durable however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacertus Posted March 12, 2005 Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 Really, the Scutum was durable.Its design - wum wooden rods fitted by a leather - the most reliable variant. Shields had been sustained a lot of hits by sword. The Roman soldiers had no spare shields. The quantity of armouns and they form had been strictly regulated. Shields become easier and is more thin during time. The center from bronze protected handle for which a soldier held the shield, but the construction was very strong without it too. The bronze plates went out with a time, they remained only for a parades. A bronze thorn appeared on shields. It facilitated the construction and made the shield more effected weapon at in-fighting. As a matter of the fact I am surprised as such thin shield (0,5 inches) could be such strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.Clodius Posted March 14, 2005 Report Share Posted March 14, 2005 The scutum also weighed approximately 20lbs, imagine carrying that on your left arm all day!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scanderbeg Posted March 18, 2005 Report Share Posted March 18, 2005 You were VERY lucky if that all you had to wear. The common soldier marched with over 50 pounds worth of stuff on him. Not to mention think about the pre-marius Principes and trarii and the post marius legions. they wore heavy chainmail. Imagine marching in the hot eastern sun like that. Or enduring harsh Germanic rain. That was not very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominus Rex Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 (edited) I've been wondering, the scutum has a handle in the center, behind the boss, correct? So how does one hold it effectivily and not get tired during the fighting? Â S=strap H=handle .....=space ----------- |............| |............| |............| |.....H.....| |............| |............| |............| ----------- Â I just visualize a much more practical sheild with a strap on one side for the forearm, and a handle on the other, like this- Â ----------- |............| |............| |............| |.S......H.| |............| |............| |............| ----------- Â So what are other people's thoughts? Edited June 17, 2006 by Dominus Rex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 I also believe that the strap is more practical, however it just doesn't work with a shield which is shaped like a scutum is. Â I think they held the sheild palm facing up. It wouldn't make sense to do it the other way because the thumb is the weakest point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominus Rex Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 I think I would probably get tired holding the shield with one arm, no matter how I hold it. 20lbs on one arm while fighting would be very difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 I've been wondering, the scutum has a handle in the center, behind the boss, correct?So how does one hold it effectivily and not get tired during the fighting? Â S=strap H=handle .....=space ----------- |............| |............| |............| |.....H.....| |............| |............| |............| ----------- Â I just visualize a much more practical sheild with a strap on one side for the forearm, and a handle on the other, like this- Â ----------- |............| |............| |............| |.S......H.| |............| |............| |............| ----------- Â So what are other people's thoughts? Â The shield is carried with the left arm straight, so no lifting effort other than gripping with the hand is needed. To carry a scutum with a crooked arm for any length of time is likely to be purgatory. Try it with a heavy weight, a barbell for instance. Holding it with the arm straight is no problem. Holding it in any other position soon stretched the joints! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Actually I'd much rather hold it with my arm held vertically (chin up position) than straight. Holding it straight seems aweful to me, especially if the sheild is crashed against something. The consequent jamming of one's elbow would render many legionaries' sheild arms useless in a short time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldrail Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Holding up the shield like that can work, but not with a scutum whose handle is behind the metal boss in the center. You wouldn't be able to see anything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost_Warrior Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 Hm...you know it really just doesn't make sense to me to hold it with the arm straight though. Maybe I'm just weird, but I can't hold my arm straight out *without* holding anything for very long. I can hold something pretty heavy though with arm bent and no problem. Â Maybe they didn't have it vertical but at a right angle? As far as I know that also isn't very tireing, but then I might be just weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 I posted this if it helps-if you cant make out the grip I will enlarge it! Â http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...&cmd=si&img=838 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pertinax Posted June 17, 2006 Report Share Posted June 17, 2006 (edited) Ive perused a number of shots I took of this event and I notice that the Auxilliae are ready to stab with the Gladius but in a "relaxed " posture but that the regulars , because of their body shape (imposed by the scutum grip) , are in a position I would describe as "cocked" ie: immediately ready to stab , directly -the body shape they display suggests that they are primed to strike at once, I can only describe the stance as being "coiled" , full of potential energy. I will try to give you an image that hints at this .The key is that the elbow is drawn up and backwards ready to deliver a blow. Edited June 17, 2006 by Pertinax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caius Maxentius Posted June 19, 2006 Report Share Posted June 19, 2006 Is anything known about how the scutum was decorated? The patterns with gold wings and thunderbolts against a red background are commonly depicted. How uniform or consistent was it? Were all the shields painted by hand, or did they have some time-saving technique for mass-producing them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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