Ambrosian Iliad- Late Roman soldier illustration

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I was that taken by the depiction of hoplite aspics, I never noticed the bosses or the rectangular scutum! :oops:

As to the stance, I would imagine it was quite common for legionairies too.
I recall the two soldiers from the mainz relief.

[Carlton Bach]

Not all of them look like they do. At least to me.

Which one doesn´t? hock:

Top right hand doesn't seem to have one. I also missed the opne on the right hand central swordfighter, it looked too much like a piece of the writing. The pronounced rim on that shield also threw mwe, but that looks like it's supposed to have one.

Alsoi, note the way the swordfighter on the left and the white-tuniced guy in the top register hold their shields. I know that Sutton Hoo is sometimes reconstructed with an arm strap, but it really doesn't look like centre grip to me.

[caiusbeerquitius]

Alsoi, note the way the swordfighter on the left and the white-tuniced guy in the top register hold their shields. I know that Sutton Hoo is sometimes reconstructed with an arm strap, but it really doesn't look like centre grip to me.

You´re right there, but the front on the others still shows the little black circle => shield boss. This is often the case in those really late (early) manuscripts, they use hellenistic imagery and add something not so sensible, in this case shield bosses on shields that don´t have a central grip, because it made sense to them.

Top right hand doesn't seem to have one

Hard to say I´d say.

[TITVS SABATINVS AQVILIVS]

Just I knew that in 367 VA the pope Damasus recruited gladiators to destroy his enemies and Honorius, Theodosius' son, finally decreed the end of gladiatorial public contests and closed remaining the schools by Honorius in 399 VA. But gladiatorial combats continued in public, in one form or another, until 404 VA, when Honorius finally completely abolished them after, as Theodoret says (Ecclesiastical History, V.26), the death of a monk, Telemachus, who had entered the arena, endeavoring to stop the fight, and was stoned to death by the indignant crowd.

Anyway since that till about 500 VA gladiators fought as professionals in some clandestine/tolerated way, so it makes sense to me that in a battle/fight depiction of the fifth century we can see some of them in their traditional look and equipment yet. I also remember thart somewhere in the old red/black RAT the military use of the gladiators as special forces was debated.

Valete,

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

They were used in that way during the civil war in 69(?)ad.....not very successfully if I recall.....I think Othos generals used them at a river crossing.