Questions about embossing a Scutum (shield) & boss (hand

[Matthew Amt]

When I look at examples of Scutums on Trajan’s wall, all appear to be embossed… with raised thunderbolts, wreaths, and other décor. Also, the overwhelming vast majority are oval in shape.

The soldiers with oval shields are generally believed to be auxiliaries, not legionaries. The legionaries are shown with rectangular or curve-sided shields. Yes, there is a big question about the embossed designs on those shields--we don't know if the actual shields had raised emblems or not. Embossed metal parts have certainlly been found (crescents, lighting bolts, etc.). And applied leather or gesso could have been used. Most folks assume that regular paint was the typical method, though, as seen on all the shields from Dura Europas (often quite complex!).

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/scutum.html

From my research it appears that shield shape change sometime after the rule of Trajan (98-117 AD) to the more rectangular style seen carried by most recreators but, did the embossing go away too?

Um, are you talking about legionaries? Because the rectangular shield (or flat top and bottom with curved sides) seems to be the norm during the first and second centuries AD, giving way eventually to large oval or round shields. I think we'd all be interested in any hard evidence to the contrary!

For my impression, I’m targeting late Republic to Early Empire so, I personally will make a shield that is more oval in shape with a circular boss (as seen on Trajan’s column) but, would panting thunderbolts be good enough or would I need to emboss them for my time period?

This is a good shape for that general era:

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/augscutum.jpg

Though most folks go with the older Republican style for Caesar's era:

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/repscuta.jpg

I was thinking about using wood for the embossing, covering it to with fabric, and attaching it to the shield because the embossing I see looks rather thick, much thicker than brass would have been… am I right or way off base here?

I wouldn't use wood. You can use metal if it's thin sheet, embossed to shape. Here's one I did:

http://www.larp.com/legioxx/Qscutum.jpg

Leather will do, too, either just painted or perhaps tooled and colored.

A fancy boss is fine, too. Plenty of plain ones are known, but the fancier ones get all the press! I expect many of our shields are too plain and simple, overall.

That help?

Matthew