04-08-2015, 06:23 PM
Michael J. Taylor posted the pictures of the unknown coin and the altar of Domitius Ahenobarbus. Gaius Varro posted the Lacus Curtius relief. I must say I disagree with the interpretation of those pictures stated earlier by these gentlemen.
The "officer", which also can be the god Mars, in the Altar of D. Ahenobarbus does seem to carry a round (or oval) shield, but it does not seem to be convex in any way. It looks perfectly flat. It has some kind of rim around it, but nothing else can be seen from it, not the grip or anything. I've seen a high resolution photograph of the relief, and I would not call that a clipeus/aspis shield. The quality of the sculpture is very good, made by skilled sculptor(s), and there's also two legionaries with their scuta visible. The second scutum at least is clearly curved, so it cannot be argued that the sculptor just didn't know how to sculpt convex or curved shields on perspective.
Angus McBride has illustrated this very same officer, and also he seemed to think the shield as flat. I have included a picture collection where I have put the original pictures next to illustrations which better show, in my mind, what the reliefs are depicting.
The unknown coin depicts a cavalryman with a round shield, but that would be parma, not a clipeus/aspis either. It shows a central spine (spina) on the flat surfice of the shield. This is a Greek cavalry shield, which the Romans copied for their own use.
The Lacus Curtius relief shows another kind of cavalry shield, called popanum. It's also round, a little bit raised at the middle, then going down a bit forming a circle (boss?) in which there's possibly a gorgoneion emblem. It's in no way a convex clipeus/aspis shield either, overall it's quite flat. It's traditionally made of oxhide, and got later replaced by the sturdier wooden Greek style parma.
Angus McBride's illustration shows both of these shield types used by republican cavalry.
* * *
But there is at least one pictographical piece of evidence for the clipeus/aspis style round convex shield used by Romans at the end of the Republic. It's the relief in Campidoglio monument, erected by Sulla. It clearly shows a clipeus/aspis shield surmounted by two armours and helmets of centurions. Possibly centurions, since they have kind of transverse crests. Is the shield also for a centurion, that cannot be said, but it's not impossible.
The "officer", which also can be the god Mars, in the Altar of D. Ahenobarbus does seem to carry a round (or oval) shield, but it does not seem to be convex in any way. It looks perfectly flat. It has some kind of rim around it, but nothing else can be seen from it, not the grip or anything. I've seen a high resolution photograph of the relief, and I would not call that a clipeus/aspis shield. The quality of the sculpture is very good, made by skilled sculptor(s), and there's also two legionaries with their scuta visible. The second scutum at least is clearly curved, so it cannot be argued that the sculptor just didn't know how to sculpt convex or curved shields on perspective.
Angus McBride has illustrated this very same officer, and also he seemed to think the shield as flat. I have included a picture collection where I have put the original pictures next to illustrations which better show, in my mind, what the reliefs are depicting.
The unknown coin depicts a cavalryman with a round shield, but that would be parma, not a clipeus/aspis either. It shows a central spine (spina) on the flat surfice of the shield. This is a Greek cavalry shield, which the Romans copied for their own use.
The Lacus Curtius relief shows another kind of cavalry shield, called popanum. It's also round, a little bit raised at the middle, then going down a bit forming a circle (boss?) in which there's possibly a gorgoneion emblem. It's in no way a convex clipeus/aspis shield either, overall it's quite flat. It's traditionally made of oxhide, and got later replaced by the sturdier wooden Greek style parma.
Angus McBride's illustration shows both of these shield types used by republican cavalry.
* * *
But there is at least one pictographical piece of evidence for the clipeus/aspis style round convex shield used by Romans at the end of the Republic. It's the relief in Campidoglio monument, erected by Sulla. It clearly shows a clipeus/aspis shield surmounted by two armours and helmets of centurions. Possibly centurions, since they have kind of transverse crests. Is the shield also for a centurion, that cannot be said, but it's not impossible.
Antonius Insulae (Sakari)
