06-02-2008, 12:38 AM
Decimus/Marsh wrote:-
It was 42 inches (1.02m) long, 32 inches in width (0.83 m), but the curvature, believed to be partially crushed, was extreme so that the chord was only 24 inches(0.66m). It was constructed of three layers of 'Plane'( some reports say Birch wood strips, varying in width, 1.25-3.25 inches(30-80 mm) wide; and 0.06-0.08 inches (1.5-2mm) thick, the two outer layers horizontally laid and the middle one vertically laid. The back was strengthened with a framework of strips 0.75 inches (19mm)wide, pegged and glued. The boss opening was circular, 4.75 inches (118 mm) diameter. The boss was missing but the shield had 4 rivet holes to fasten one on.Both sides of the shield were thin leather (?) covered, two layers ( some reports say leather over linen)on the front and one on the back, and the shield had a 2 inch (50mm) aprox wide leather binding wrapped over the rim and stitched on, re-inforced with 4 rawhide corner pieces. Earlier rectangular scuta had bronze edge binding, riveted on.
Armed with this knowledge and the fact that Legionary recruits were supposed ( at one time at least) to be 6 Roman feet ( 5ft 7 inches our measure, 1.67 m) you can if you wish scale this shield out to your own size proportionally ( but I would not trust the distorted curvature measure)
Quote:what size would you say the scutum should be? (In inches would be spiffyWell, you could do a lot worse than start with the dimensions of the only known intact rectangular scutum - the red Dura Europos shield.
It was 42 inches (1.02m) long, 32 inches in width (0.83 m), but the curvature, believed to be partially crushed, was extreme so that the chord was only 24 inches(0.66m). It was constructed of three layers of 'Plane'( some reports say Birch wood strips, varying in width, 1.25-3.25 inches(30-80 mm) wide; and 0.06-0.08 inches (1.5-2mm) thick, the two outer layers horizontally laid and the middle one vertically laid. The back was strengthened with a framework of strips 0.75 inches (19mm)wide, pegged and glued. The boss opening was circular, 4.75 inches (118 mm) diameter. The boss was missing but the shield had 4 rivet holes to fasten one on.Both sides of the shield were thin leather (?) covered, two layers ( some reports say leather over linen)on the front and one on the back, and the shield had a 2 inch (50mm) aprox wide leather binding wrapped over the rim and stitched on, re-inforced with 4 rawhide corner pieces. Earlier rectangular scuta had bronze edge binding, riveted on.
Armed with this knowledge and the fact that Legionary recruits were supposed ( at one time at least) to be 6 Roman feet ( 5ft 7 inches our measure, 1.67 m) you can if you wish scale this shield out to your own size proportionally ( but I would not trust the distorted curvature measure)
"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
