Secutor scuta

[jbd_29349]

I have a couple of question regarding the shield the secutor carries.

In all the sculpture and moasics I have seen of the secutor and retiarii the shield is a large rectangle much like what the Roman army carried. Yet Ars Dimicantii secutor has their shields rounded off on the top. I have been in the arena as a secutor and can see how it useful to have it rounded off but is there any historical evidence to back it up?

Ars Dimicantii secutor carry there shields a bit different than normal. Looking at there video on their website the handles on the sheilds are more towards the bottom of the shield with a sleeve for the arm where the handle should be. Some sculpture evidence I have seen can support this but I have seen sculpture evidence that has not been acurate before. Is there any evidence to support the handle being lower than normal?

Thanks!!

[john roberts]

In the absence of any original examples, sculptural evidence is all we have. I know of at least two sculptures that clearly show secutor shields with a horizontal handgrip situated a few inches above the lower rim. As for the rounded top, I've never seen one in any medium.

[jvrjenivs]

As for the scutum with a rounded top, we have some 'sources'.

However, the first one is a bad one. It's a drawing from Niccolini made from a fresco in the 'ludus' of Pompeii. In one part you see the weaponry of retiarius and a scutari depicted. The shield has a curved top, where all other scuta in the drawing don't have.
But it should be noted that looking to these drawings most items don't resemble the archeological finds of weaponry. So this one is questionable.

Second one is also an indirect depiction, although this one seems to be closer to the original, when looking for details. On the decoration on the grave of Umbricius Scaurus next to the Herculaneum gate of Pompeii, you can see such a shield laying on the ground. Still, this again is a drawing (from 1824) of an original depiction that is lost.

Next it is interesting to note that on the Gladiator mosaics from Augst, we see 2 secutors depicted, which could have a rounded edge on the bottom. The murmillo and Thraex are clearly depicted with a rectangular version, so this could be an indication these details are meant to be there, as also the top corners are clearly depicted in the usual way.

However, as already noted above. Almost all shields depicted are rectangular and have straight corners. We've quite some images of secutori, so it would be more than safe to use a normal rectangular scutum in your impression.

[richard robinson]

I am certain that Connoly in Greece and Rome at War discusses Livy describing Samnites bearing shields of this description. Connoly suggests that Livy was describing the Samnite gladiators shield and drawing his "historical" Samnite thus ascribing the arena as a source of factual information.
regards
Richard

[Forty-One]

Are you sure they are secutores? I know "Dimicandi" have 3rd century provocatores with shields such as you describe. These are based on a grave stela from Ephesus. Could you post a picture or direct us to a video maybe?

[jbd_29349]

Retiarii vs Secutores AD 2009
Retiarii vs Secutores AD 2010

These are the names of two recent videos posted on youtube by Ars Dimincatti. The armor worn by both gladiators in the videos suggests that they are secutors and retiarii.

[Olaf]

As I have recently seen these shields also used by some french groups, I have also checked for sources in this regard.
Jvrjenivs has already given some examples of round top Scutae and here is another clear depiction of such a shield:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]

There are also two clear depictions of a Secutor holding a rectangular Scutum with a leather strap and lower horizontal grip as you describe it.
I would theorise that this grip helps against the danger of having the shield pulled away by the hooks at the back of the retiarius tridents crossbar.
I will try to adapt one of my Scuti to this hrip to experiment on this.

[jbd_29349]

Thanks Olaf for the link with the pictures! Do you know of any more pictures showing the secutor shield being this way? I only ask because there are several examples of the secutor helmet in sculptures, moasics, and even small statues but only one type not like the in the sculptures and mosaics in Pompeii. Just would like to have more evidence of the shield than one picture.

I have made modifications to my shield to carry it with a lower hand grip and have found that I have a lot more control over where my shield goes! I can't wait for an event to try in out in the field!

[john roberts]

Note the Greek inscription at the base of that sculpture. Eastern equipment often differed in detail from that used in the west.

[Olaf]

According to Junkelmann 2010 Picture 233 this Relief is from Rom (Vigna Aquari) and now on display at the Metropolitan New York.
It is a 3rd century relief, and as the Retiarius is not wearing a shoulder guard, his "half-tunik" is most probably a metallic armor.

I did not find any other clear depiction of a Scutum rounded of at the top in all the images in the Junkelmann, but a few Secutor or Murmillo Scutio are depicted rounded of at the bottom.
The most extreme are these two:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]

As rounding off the bottom of a scutum seems to be a way to show the curved form of the shield in 2 dimensional art, this could of course also apply to the image above.