07-23-2006, 08:52 PM
In my opinion it is very difficult to say whether early imperial auxiliary shields were flat in fact, or not slightly dished. One might want to look at the shield bosses to find that out.
- La-Tène shields were commonly flat, I read and heard, so the auxiliary
shields might stand in that tradition, if "celtic" units are concerned.
- It might be because the "technology" was not known everywhere, just
keep in mind how long it took in the middle ages for an advanced
version of a plow to travel across Europe.
- As far as Late Antiquity is concerned: IMHO the evidence for flat shields
is very scarce. This evidence usually comes along with the rather
precious type of shield boss, and precious shield decoration. So these
items were perhaps not intended to be functional shields (in a military
sense), but rather items of prestige.
- Junkelmann states somewhere that flat shields are much better to
handle on horseback. Something to think about.
- La-Tène shields were commonly flat, I read and heard, so the auxiliary
shields might stand in that tradition, if "celtic" units are concerned.
- It might be because the "technology" was not known everywhere, just
keep in mind how long it took in the middle ages for an advanced
version of a plow to travel across Europe.
- As far as Late Antiquity is concerned: IMHO the evidence for flat shields
is very scarce. This evidence usually comes along with the rather
precious type of shield boss, and precious shield decoration. So these
items were perhaps not intended to be functional shields (in a military
sense), but rather items of prestige.
- Junkelmann states somewhere that flat shields are much better to
handle on horseback. Something to think about.
Christian K.
No reconstruendum => No reconstruction.
Ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas.
No reconstruendum => No reconstruction.
Ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas.
