08-24-2004, 10:42 AM
Theo, the question of the shape of late shields is becoming more or less as thorny as that of the colour of Imperial period tunics!<br>
In any case, there are two clear facts:<br>
-Always dished. An infantry shield of that period must be raised at its center at least 10 cm more than at its border.<br>
-Sizes: around 1 m for infantry and around 0,7 m for cavalry.<br>
<br>
About the shape, there are several depictions other than the Notitia (I insist, more than one blazon design is much better fitted for a round shape than for an oval one, moreover if as elongated as some groups reconstruct! ) showing clearly round shields, from the early fourth century Luxor wall paintings or the approx. contemporary Piazza Armerina wall paintings (I would add the 'Great Hunt' mosaic, but that would only start another long discussion....) to the Lepontius gravestone.<br>
The Dura shields are just slightly oval and I'd like to express here a mischievous thought. Late shields are made of vertical wooden planks glued edge to edge. Well, wood doesn't shrink longitudinally (only a negligible amount) but it shrinks a lot transversally. Could it well be that the today slightly oval Dura shields were originally even less oval...<br>
<br>
Aitor <p></p><i></i>
In any case, there are two clear facts:<br>
-Always dished. An infantry shield of that period must be raised at its center at least 10 cm more than at its border.<br>
-Sizes: around 1 m for infantry and around 0,7 m for cavalry.<br>
<br>
About the shape, there are several depictions other than the Notitia (I insist, more than one blazon design is much better fitted for a round shape than for an oval one, moreover if as elongated as some groups reconstruct! ) showing clearly round shields, from the early fourth century Luxor wall paintings or the approx. contemporary Piazza Armerina wall paintings (I would add the 'Great Hunt' mosaic, but that would only start another long discussion....) to the Lepontius gravestone.<br>
The Dura shields are just slightly oval and I'd like to express here a mischievous thought. Late shields are made of vertical wooden planks glued edge to edge. Well, wood doesn't shrink longitudinally (only a negligible amount) but it shrinks a lot transversally. Could it well be that the today slightly oval Dura shields were originally even less oval...<br>
<br>
Aitor <p></p><i></i>
It\'s all an accident, an accident of hands. Mine, others, all without mind, from one extreme to another, but neither works nor will ever.
Rolf Steiner
Rolf Steiner
