Making a domed Late Roman shield

[Aedinius]

This is the parma I have been working on. I am still trying to figure it out how to make the handle for this. I am concerned putting a boss on it since that will compromice the strength of ths shield.

[M. Demetrius]

Interesting! What means have you used to make this shield?

BTW, though it't temporarily tabled, my domed shields look like they will only hold about a 2" dish. That's about all that the wood will hold. It relaxes some after it dries. I have aided this with a modified grip. Photos follow.

[Aedinius]

I based off of how Mat Amt did his Aspis by layering wooden 1/2 inch birch rings on top of each other. I then sanded the rings outside as well as inside until I got a nice 3 inch deep curve and the end is a little over an inch deep. Here is some more pics.

[San Fratis]

I was wondering if any of you have seen the diagram that shows the aspis profile showing the ring positions. Has anyone done anything similar for the oval?

I know that it would have to be done differently since the profile is obviously not similar. Maybe top down showing the size of the oval to cut from a 1/2 board and the order of the subsequent ovals to build height.

I am rubbish with math and geometry or I would have a go at it.

[Caballo]

This is my late Roman dished shield- started with a wooden blank, two layers of linen glued on the front, one layer of linen on the back, covered with gesso , painted with egg tempera, and finally varnished with the egg white varnish. Gesso (dead easy to do) and tempera from Cornelissen in London. Eggs from Tesco....














Boss made by Wulflund after the Donderberg grave.

The chi rho is based on this sculpture but set in a laurel leaf.



Victory from this earlier Roman fresco


"Magic square" wording from Corinium/Cirencester. It rearranges into Pater Noster in a croass with A and O (Alpha and Omega).

[M. Demetrius]

Excellent work, Caballo! How deep of a dish did you end up with, and was the wood a solid plank or plywood?

[Caballo]

Thanks! The blank was of plywood, and the curve of the underlying wood is as per the front of the shield. The internal curve is flattened by the linen stretched tightly across the curve. Thinking about this, the gap may act like Chobham armour on tanks- creating a further space to slow down a projectile?

[M. Demetrius]

How did you make the plywood behave in the compound curving around the x,y axis? (axes??) I had a lot of trouble getting the 2, 4, 8, and 10 o'clock areas to lie in a smooth curve.

[Caballo]

I bought it from people clever than me at that sort of thing!

[M. Demetrius]

I see. I would have had better result if I'd used that technique. Heh. :lol:

[Theodosius the Great]

Beautiful work, Caballo!

The back almost looks too nice to attach leather thongs to store plumbatae :wink:

Thanks for posting.

~Theo

[John Conyard]

Ataching straps? Just tie a bucket to the handle when needed! Very nice paint work, well researched.

[M. Demetrius]

Isn't the view that plumbatae would be carried in a quiver?

Was e quiver hung from the belt or on a shoulder strap?

[Medicus matt]

Isn't the view that plumbatae would be carried in a quiver?

Was e quiver hung from the belt or on a shoulder strap?

From Vegetius (when discussing the use of martiobarbuli):-
"Every soldier carries five of these javelins in the hollow of his shield."

That's it...everything else is open to personal interpretation.

[John Conyard]

Maurice mentions the use of leather buckets to carry darts (Strategikon 12.B.4) and a bucket can be simply tied on to the shield grip without recourse to nails or straps. The weight of the bucket is on the centreline of the shield, not interfering with its balance. The shield protects the darts and the bucket can be easily discarded when the occasion arises.