1st Cen. AD Germanic Shield

[Paullus Scipio]

Harjaz wrote:

The Hjortspring shields seem to be more Celtic than Germanic (and by the 1st century AD the Germanic tribes were definately using iron shield bosses).

The Hjortspring shields are most definitely 'Germanic', not Celtic !! ( even if there is an understandable resemblance). Since the circular boss only appeared in the Roman army c. 25 AD, it is likely that the first examples copied in 'Germania' only appeared after c. 50 AD. Furthermore, despite the appearance of the circular boss, the 'spina and barleycorn' type continued in the Roman Army until the end of the second C AD, and presumably lasted in 'Germania' even longer - but all-wooden shield-bosses don't turn up in the archaeological record, whilst iron ones do. The best evidence is Tacitus telling us that the Germans did not have iron re-inforcements, which would include bosses, on their shields in AD16, which fits in perfectly with the above.

Archeological finds from the first and second centuries AD are relatively rare, but by the third C AD circular iron bosses were more common. A similar find of a defeated enemy's spoils to that at Hjortspring was found at Illerup Adal dating from the 3 C AD. The equipment appeared to belong to around 1,000 warriors, but only 300 or so metal bosses were found - an indication that 2/3rds of the warriors probably had wooden 'barley corn' bosses, even at this date.