03-03-2009, 04:42 AM
Cole/Nikolaos wrote:
All the surviving shields/fragments are wood......
In the Thesis of Dr P.H. Blyth, Dr G. Jeronomides examined the so-called 'Vatican Aspis' - actually an Etruscan early 5 c BC example,(contemporary with the Persian Wars) which is fairly intact and reported as follows:-
A report by Dr Jeronomides on the Vatican Aspis/shield gives dimensions as follows:
Shield made of Poplar planks, glued together and then turned on a horizontal lathe. ( Pliny HN 16.2 recommends Poplar or Willow or other trees that grow in water, because their wood swells and closes when pierced).The grain direction of each 'plank', 20-30 cm wide, is not the same. Interestingly, the grain is horizontal, parallel with the arm, on the plank covering the forearm.
Diameter: slightly non-circular 82-81.5 cm ( probably due to play in the bearings of the lathe)
Thickness: 2.0-2.5 cm/0.75-1 inch; estimate of original thickness in centre, tapering through 1.9 cm on the 'shoulder' to 1.1 cm where bowl meets rim.
Width of rim: 3.8 cm ( measured on front/face of shield) - others were 5-5.5 cm, on a shield bronze 84-87 cm(33.5-34.8 inches) diameter
Thickness of bronze cover: less than 0.5 mm( 22-24 gauge)( and probably around 0.1-0.2mm on average - less than 30 gauge)The bronze cover was smooth, and glued on with pitch.The bronze was curved over the rim to a depth of 4 cm and done without leaving a trace of cuts, wrinkles or overlaps. Modern bronzesmiths are apparently baffled as to how this was achieved.
Earlier, archaic aspides frequently had only a rim of bronze facing, with a bronze motif/cutout/blazon on the front, and porpakes/arm-loops were often elaborate. By the Persian Wars, full-faced bronze seems to have been the most common with a presumably painted design.....and porpakes seem to have become much plainer.....
A rough calculation thus shows the wood core should weigh around 4 kg(9 lbs),...this seems pretty correct as the Manning Imperial aspis wooden core with fittings weighs 4.3 kg .....and the bronze sheath about 0.6 kg(1.35 lbs) (based on 0.1-0,2 mm);
2 kg max. (4.5.lbs) based on 0.5mm
Thickness of leather lining 0.25 mm ( the interior and inside of rim both, the joint between bowl leather and rim leather was sewn).....
....this implies an overall weight with fittings lining etc of around 6-7 kg (13.2 - 15.5 lbs) aprox....
[see attached diagram.]
Giannis posted some excellent photos on another thread from which it is apparent there are not one, but two Vatican shields! I have seen no reports on the second shield.......
During the later 5th C BC these shields seem to have got lighter and were re-inforced on the interior, at around the 'shoulder' level with a bronze 'wheel', or sometimes just 'ring'.....
A later aspis from the siege of Olynthus( by Philip of Macedon in 348 BC was described as follows by G.E. Mylonas (A.J.A. 43 (1939) at P.57):
"the interior of the shield was made of crossing pieces of wood (ptuches) probably covered in hide. Within the broad rim were found pieces/strips of charred wood 6 cm wide, 5 small bronze rings, one with a hook attached, 2 bronze nails...."
This suggests a laminated construction very similar to the scutum ( such as the Dura Europos shield).
As can be seen the Porpax of this shield is not offset, and the majority of illustrations seem to have the porpax in the centre, contra Paul B.
Quote:Of course, this ignores all the other possibilities like hide shields, wicker, willow strips, and what not
All the surviving shields/fragments are wood......
In the Thesis of Dr P.H. Blyth, Dr G. Jeronomides examined the so-called 'Vatican Aspis' - actually an Etruscan early 5 c BC example,(contemporary with the Persian Wars) which is fairly intact and reported as follows:-
A report by Dr Jeronomides on the Vatican Aspis/shield gives dimensions as follows:
Shield made of Poplar planks, glued together and then turned on a horizontal lathe. ( Pliny HN 16.2 recommends Poplar or Willow or other trees that grow in water, because their wood swells and closes when pierced).The grain direction of each 'plank', 20-30 cm wide, is not the same. Interestingly, the grain is horizontal, parallel with the arm, on the plank covering the forearm.
Diameter: slightly non-circular 82-81.5 cm ( probably due to play in the bearings of the lathe)
Thickness: 2.0-2.5 cm/0.75-1 inch; estimate of original thickness in centre, tapering through 1.9 cm on the 'shoulder' to 1.1 cm where bowl meets rim.
Width of rim: 3.8 cm ( measured on front/face of shield) - others were 5-5.5 cm, on a shield bronze 84-87 cm(33.5-34.8 inches) diameter
Thickness of bronze cover: less than 0.5 mm( 22-24 gauge)( and probably around 0.1-0.2mm on average - less than 30 gauge)The bronze cover was smooth, and glued on with pitch.The bronze was curved over the rim to a depth of 4 cm and done without leaving a trace of cuts, wrinkles or overlaps. Modern bronzesmiths are apparently baffled as to how this was achieved.
Earlier, archaic aspides frequently had only a rim of bronze facing, with a bronze motif/cutout/blazon on the front, and porpakes/arm-loops were often elaborate. By the Persian Wars, full-faced bronze seems to have been the most common with a presumably painted design.....and porpakes seem to have become much plainer.....
A rough calculation thus shows the wood core should weigh around 4 kg(9 lbs),...this seems pretty correct as the Manning Imperial aspis wooden core with fittings weighs 4.3 kg .....and the bronze sheath about 0.6 kg(1.35 lbs) (based on 0.1-0,2 mm);
2 kg max. (4.5.lbs) based on 0.5mm
Thickness of leather lining 0.25 mm ( the interior and inside of rim both, the joint between bowl leather and rim leather was sewn).....
....this implies an overall weight with fittings lining etc of around 6-7 kg (13.2 - 15.5 lbs) aprox....
[see attached diagram.]
Giannis posted some excellent photos on another thread from which it is apparent there are not one, but two Vatican shields! I have seen no reports on the second shield.......
During the later 5th C BC these shields seem to have got lighter and were re-inforced on the interior, at around the 'shoulder' level with a bronze 'wheel', or sometimes just 'ring'.....
A later aspis from the siege of Olynthus( by Philip of Macedon in 348 BC was described as follows by G.E. Mylonas (A.J.A. 43 (1939) at P.57):
"the interior of the shield was made of crossing pieces of wood (ptuches) probably covered in hide. Within the broad rim were found pieces/strips of charred wood 6 cm wide, 5 small bronze rings, one with a hook attached, 2 bronze nails...."
This suggests a laminated construction very similar to the scutum ( such as the Dura Europos shield).
As can be seen the Porpax of this shield is not offset, and the majority of illustrations seem to have the porpax in the centre, contra Paul B.
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
