Legionary emblems...

[Paullus Scipio]

I think the closest you will get to the design is that shield cover.

...The known designs, lettering and so on, ( usually designed to be 'stitched' on)used on Legionary/Auxiliary shield covers are completely different to the known 'emblema' on shields ( see illustration above), and it is unlikely in the extreme that the pattern on a shield cover - which is likely to be personal in some way to aid recognition amongst a row of other similarly covered shields - was ever used by ANY Legion.....

....though of course it would be perfect for the cover of your shield !! D

[PhilusEstilius]

Adrian.

These links to pictures of a couple of my reproductions of Straubing horse Chamfrons may be of some use to you, they should be able to help you with how to produce your Goddess Minerva.
The first two show the full blown figure of the goddess which could be used for your Vexcillum, then the much more easy bust could well be used on your shields along with a frontal head view of a Ram.
There is no problem as far as copyright for these are my own pictures which you can use should you wish to do so, they are pictures selected from the whole list of the Straubing pieces that I have made. There is a good selection of some of the originals in the H. R. Robinson book pages 192/193.

http://www.northumberland-computers.com/sextima/ch1.jpg

http://www.northumberland-computers.com/sextima/ch2.jpg

http://www.northumberland-computers.com/sextima/ch3.jpg

[Paullus Scipio]

then the much more easy bust could well be used on your shields along with a frontal head view of a Ram.

...I'd be interested to see any evidence at all that designs such as this were ever used as shield devices/'emblema'.....

[PhilusEstilius]

Paul.

I think that I would be inclined to agree with you that is why I have made the suggestion of the Minerva on a standard in it's full blown likeness, but then it is up to re-enacting groups just what they would like to put on their shields of course.
However what you say is a very valid point if people would wish to be a bit more authentic, eagle wings yes, ansata maybe yes. There is a kind of yard stick in re-enacting standards for equipment but then I don't think there is any group that can lay claim to being absoloutely authentic.

[Charles Ryan]

I have a question about legion Aquilas: When Germanicus recovered two of the three lost eagles of Varus, how did he know which two he had recovered? I have not found any information about if the legion's number, or other identifying information, was on each eagle.
Were the eagles made in different styles for each legion and this made them easy to identify? Or, were they marked in some way? Does anyone know?

[Magnus]

Welcome to RAT Charles, and that's a very good question. Thing is we dont' know...we don't have any surviving aquila, so our only references are sculptural and in the literary record. Those sources don't seem to go into detail like that, having said that, I think it's possible that each legion's eagle may have been slightly different, either in some kind of marking or form or something.

[Tim Edwards]

...The known designs, lettering and so on, ( usually designed to be 'stitched' on)used on Legionary/Auxiliary shield covers are completely different to the known 'emblema' on shields ( see illustration above), and it is unlikely in the extreme that the pattern on a shield cover - which is likely to be personal in some way to aid recognition amongst a row of other similarly covered shields - was ever used by ANY Legion.....

Paul, whilst I respect your work, I disagree.

Put sculpture aside for a moment, and look at the actual finds. The shield board fragments from Masada, the largest evidence set we have for the early imperial era, are largely plain, with the exception of one stitched tabula ansata, pretty much exactly the same as the several dozen shield covers we have in Europe.

I think it is quite possible, even probable, that some of the fragments identified as 'shield covers' in European contexts are actually the face of the boards themselves. The Masada finds demonstrate the two could appear almost identical. If it wasn't for the fact that the Masada fragments had wooden fragments still intact, I'm sure they would have been written off as more covers. I highly recommend the following source if you have not already read it:

Masada VIII The Yigael Yadin Excavations 1963-1965
Edited by Joseph Aviram, et al. Israel Exploration Society, 2007

I'm also pretty sure that some of the Vindonissa shield 'covers' originally had board fragments inside, leading Gannsser Burckhardt to identify some as part of the board facing. Look again at this set of finds, some covers reveal quite a large amount of decoration. One piece in particular demonstrates a mass of zig-zags, or triangles.

This then neatly explains why we have a good stack of intact shield covers in Europe, but an odd lack of leather shield facings. Some clearly are covers, some maybe not so.

Coming full circle back to scuplture, how can you be sure that what is portrayed is always the shield, rather than the cover?

Lastly, if the emblems of shield covers were purely personal motifs, why no owner's names, like on other kit?

If the evidence was so clear cut, I don't think we'd have room for debate, but that's half the fun!! My own bias I'll freely admit, is that I look first at the actual finds, before sculpture.

[Adrian Petersson]

right, i think i have come up with something reasonable...let's see. I liked the images posted by Brian. especially the rather striking head of Minerva, which instantly appealed as a shield motif. I think that and a victory (that's the laurel wreath, right? I have one on my clipeus..) and the title of our adoptive Legion. Not sure we need all that wings and lightning malarky, although some 'gamma' patterns in the corners would add something also.
Can anyone tell me date of the Caerleon shield being sold by Peronis/Armamentaria? As in which period it can be used? i'd like us to be able to use it...
//Adrian Petersson

[Matt Lukes]

I've read the Masada report and have to say I'm doubtful those leather pieces are clearly anything but shield covers just like the European pieces- and it seems a pretty significant stretch for them to suggest the European ones might not be covers when they haven't even proven theirs aren't; the fragments of wood just mean they associated with wood when deposited- the fragments are so unsubstantial, it's not even clear they're from shields. There isn't any clear proof provided, like glue residue, the leather was attached to the wood- it's rather more likely they were simply covers on their shields it seems to me. And with respect to the European pieces, the presence of what sure seems a drawstring 'tunnel' at the edges of the more intact leather pieces, plus the integral umbo 'cover' really does make them covers not facings.

The lack of skin facings for shields in a European context isn't odd really at all- the only extant example of shield skin facing is the Dura scutum, and that has rawhide parchment and is extremely thin, which surely would have a hard time surviving in Europe. Moreover it's the only one of the shield artifacts from Dura that has skin- there are ones with just gesso, just fabric in glue, just fibres in glue and so on; so skin of some form isn't necessarily even a common facing for scuta. If they were deemed functional enough with just a 'casing' of some form, like glue-soaked linen, the outer skin facing certainly isn't vital. I've tested a section of authentically-made scutum board with just a linen in glue casing and it functioned beautifully vs. a sword slash. The Dura parchment is only on the order of 0.5mm thick (Simon James, personal comm.) so not likely to be of much structural use. I tried a bit and found no advantage to its presence. And even though there seems to be no proof of its use, I know tanned leather has been tested and found to be of no real use either. The truth is that the wood core with some form of case to help keep it together makes an outstanding shield all on its own.

Tim, I love that Victoria or Minerva piece you posted- of course it hardly suggests the Ram is not so clear, since the suggestion was never that it was the only proper one, but It's just wonderful to see something other than the usual tabula ansata for sure