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Shield Boss, Leg X Fretensis
#1
I don't suppose there's a single type, but would it be incorrect to use shield bosses that are square, but with points at the top, sides, and bottom, instead of horizontally? Time period is around 5 BC to 20AD.<br>
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Roman regulars, rectangular scutum. Making 8 sets for an outdoor theatre production.<br>
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All helps welcome<br>
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Multas Gratias<br>
IHSV<br>
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#2
Ave!<br>
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Well, there's no evidence for anything like that, as far as I know. Some bosses were sort of hexagonal, with horizontal top and bottom with a shallow point on either side, or with the sides curving outwards (like the "Augustan" curve-sided scutum).<br>
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I don't think there'd be much objection to simple round bosses. But square or rectangular seems to be the usual way to go.<br>
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Vale,<br>
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Matthew/Quintus, Legio XX<br>
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PS: Been to the Best Roman Site on the Net already?<br>
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www.larp.com/legioxx/ <p></p><i></i>
Matthew Amt (Quintus)
Legio XX, USA
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.larp.com/legioxx/">http://www.larp.com/legioxx/
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#3
Star-shaped shield bossses having eight points in copper alloy have been found at Dura-Europos, but they might be Persian, not roman. <p></p><i></i>
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#4
<em>Star-shaped shield bossses having eight points in copper alloy have been found at Dura-Europos</em><br>
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There is also one from London, currently missing.<br>
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Mike Bishop <p></p><i></i>
You know my method. It is founded upon the observance of trifles

Blogging, tweeting, and mapping Hadrian\'s Wall... because it\'s there
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#5
shield bosses appear to come in many forms- although the 'standard' scutum types appear in a minority?<br>
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any thoughts why?<br>
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<p><img src="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.martin/forum/mark.gif
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#6
If the theory that the reason why so many helmets and swords come from watery contexts is due to their use as votive offerings and sacrificed items (is there a difference??) is correct, then perhaps the reason fewer shield bosses, in particular curving bosses used with legionary scuta, have been found may be that battle damaged shields were not popular items to sacrifice (although the Greeks had no problem with shields being used as votive offerings in temples, but then, the Romans were not the same as the Greeks in all respects). Bosses would also be expected to last longer than shieldboards and recycling for use on replacement shields may therefore have been the norm for bosses. I suspect that if the votive offering theory is correct then helmets may have been a popular choice because, despite their probable cost, they protected the head (and therefore the brain, the value of which the Romans understood, even if they did not understand how it worked), and swords may have been popular choices because they were the main offensive weapons in hand to hand combat and therefore may well have been seen as the instruments of victory.<br>
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Crispvs <p></p><i></i>
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers.  :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:

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#7
sorry I wasnt very clear<br>
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what I meant was that of the many shield bosses I have seen - most do not fit into the styles normally associated with scuta <p><img src="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/mark.martin/forum/mark.gif
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