scutum and shield use

[Goffredo]

Hi guys<br>
the following is an oldie on this forum but maybe there are some new ideas and comments to be added.<br>
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A couple of weeks ago I saw a documentary on gladiator life-and-death and there were the usual reconstructions and simulated fights. This program was, in my humble opinion fairly well made, overall. BUT in details the usual showing of the heavy scutum carrying gladiator made me think. The guy looked severely hampered by his scutum compared to the nimble antagonist so I suspect the re-enactor was moving very wrong!<br>
Any sideway movements looked very dangerous, to him!, because it seemed very difficult to swing the scutum back quickly to the front position. This also made me think of the re-enactors of legionaries with scuta fighting in similarly unlikely duels.<br>
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I have never fought with a scutum so please give me your impressions. The same comments are especially welcome from those of you that re-enact also late roman equipment. Question: Is the any significant difference in handling the curved scutum compared to the large round (flat?) shield of later times?<br>
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In terms of physics, for equal mass (weight) shields, I imagine a curved one be somewhat easier to move about: the "moment of inertia" about the shoulder (or elbow) is lower than when the same mass is distributed flatly. But how about in practice? <p></p><i></i>

[Hibernicus]

In my opinion and from experience (see also various bas relief and paintings of gladiatores) the curved rectangular scutum works very well one-on-one when used horizontally, .. 90° from its "upright" position.<br>
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You can sweep, punch with the bottom edge, punch out with the umbo.. all with force and power and speed<br>
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Hibernicus<br>
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[Anonymous]

Experimental evidence is one thing, but did the romans ever hold their scuta horizontally? As far as I know, all of the sculptural evidence shows both legionaires and gladiators holding their scutum vertically. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

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As a 20 year re-enactor and a roman one for the past few years, as well as a gladiator, who fights "competitively" with the weapons and armour..............<br>
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Scutu are very, very, very good static protection. They cover the entire body from shoulder to calf and the curved shape lends a degree of lateral protection not given by flat shields. This is exactly what you want in a large, densly packed group of men where the ability to move your shield, or yourself, is limited.<br>
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The weight and grip on the shield mean that it is less flexible in an offensive capacity than any other shield I have ever used. Punching wth the boss into faces is virtually suiicidal has you effectively block your entire vision and open your legs up to attack ..........silly ....<br>
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The shield is also less useful in single combat as it's size effectivdly limits the use of your sword as you cannot fight around it, like you can with smaller round shield for example. In fact, the legionary has a very limited number of attacks open to him.<br>
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Gladatorial fights tend to fall quickly into the same pattern, where the "light" works tirelessly to phase the "heavy" into making a mistake while avoiding getting "run down". The "heavy" just needs to keep his head.<br>
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Verdict.<br>
Brilliant in group combat.<br>
Brilliant defensively when fighting individually.<br>
Limits your offensive capacity.<br>
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[Caius Fabius]

I have used a "heater', a "Teardrop" and a "Scutum" as a foot fighter in the SCA. I have played with needlefelt and live steel combat. I have also fought competitive epee and sabre in college and the USFA, the latter do not use shields.<br>
My favorite use of the "scutum" in individual combat with the SCA and other groups is usually prohibited. The "Scutum" in one to one combat should be in size from just below your knee to the shoulder and as wide as your armpit to armpit.<br>
Use the bottom rim against the shin of your opponent. If you get too close, crouch and drop the edge sharply on the top of your opponent's foot. If they come over the top, the shield can come up under the chin, or even to hold your opponent's sword arm up while you give the scutum an outward twist at the bottom and bring your gladius into the armpit. Using the boss of the shield against an opponent's elbow or face while using footwork to protect your lower body is also an option. Fighting left handed fighters needs a reversal of the push and twist and a reverse spin into a thrusting attack with your gladius against the armpit or side. Use the boss against joints or faces, not against the torso.<br>
Some of these tactics will work when in a formation but the jury is still out as to whether the Roman infantry soldier fought in a shield wall or in a much looser formation. There are several different ideas about the actual infantry fighting styles and how they may have changed from 300BC to AD 450.<br>
If you want to fight with a scutum as a secondary weapon in this way you need to make sure your opponent has full body protection or you pull you blows, or you really want to put your opponent out of action for several days or weeks, not just a few moments. This is not suggested or allowed for needlefelt or SCA combat!!!! The corner/edge of the shield can cause fractures and cause excessive trauma to the throat and face/skull.<br>
The spear-man's counter to a stationary scutum wall is to attack the lower limbs, if you use a spear a man's feet, and lower leg, he will go down, or drop his shield to cover, allowing your spear brother to thrust over the lowered shield.<br>
I have mostly stopped re-enactment fighting, I have too many injuries from playing this game and the "real army" game. Fighting with any re-enactment weapons can only be as realistic as the rules and circumstances. You don't really want to kill or injure your opponent badly, you probably can't afford to spend weeks in hospital having the Legion take care of you while you heal, and you and your opponent probably have to go back to work on Monday!<br>
I am much more "safety aware" than when I was 18, 25 or 35. That and having survived a broken neck, 17 other major broken bones, several joint injuries and dozens of punctures and stitches makes me wonder exactly how the Roman soldiers fought against each other, and if their practice battles were really bloodless. What did Josephus know that he forgot to tell us about the method of practicing? Maybe something like needlefelt was used? Maybe shields with rawhide edges were for practice? <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

I have participated in some of the gladiatorial events Legio VI Victrix performs at living history shows, and have found the scutum, held in the correct manner, to be effective both offensively as well as defensively.<br>
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Defensive: In the photo below (I'm wearing the brass helmet), you can see that (a) my vision is unobstructed, (b) none of my opponent's blows has much of a chance at getting through, and © my sword hand is relatively unencumbered. My opponent also had a legionary scutum, so it became a test of speed and endurance as to who was the winner (wooden gladii, full-contact, real-time... my rudis split while using it on the practice post just before this match, so I hadda duct-tape it, grumble grumble).<br>
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<img src="http://www.legionsix.org/gladsengage.jpg" style="border:0;"/><br>
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Offensive: the best way to begin my own attack, or to immediately stop my opponent's attack, was simply to straight-arm the scutum into his center of balance as hard as I could, then follow up with several thrusts with the gladius. The trick was to launch the shield into him head-on, then as he falls back, <em>tilt it vertically</em> by bringing the right side in towards my body. This now allows the sword arm to stab straight, as opposed to having to swing it out and around the right edge of the shield. Whomever could execute this tactic faster, and with more force, was invariably the winner of each match.<br>
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G. Darius Sev.<br>
<span style="color:orange;font-family:georgia;font-size:medium;">Legio VI Victrix</span><br>
<span style="color:teal;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:medium;">Los Angeles, CA</span> <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

I've always seen using the scutum offensively is a case of initiative and guts. Holding that big honkin shield out infront of you is tiring nevermind having to fight with it.<br>
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I've looked at the Smother and Jab sort of technique probably the most effective. If you press into your oponent first, smothering his body and sword hand with your shield, press against him and say, chin-smash with the rim of the shield, or, press your shield into him and turn it to the side very slightly, pushing his sword hand away from you, all at the same time of jabbing into him.<br>
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That chin-smash trick is really sneaky and nasty too. I like it.<br>
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Also, boss-punching is a risky shot, but if he's concentrating on your legs, you're going to clobber him before he can reach down there. Even if you raise the shield so you hit his neck area with the boss, you'll still have just enough coverage that if he tried to swipe your legs, he'd get the sword cocked at a bad angle and can't quite reach. If he's foolish enough to bend over or really stretch for a leg cut, you could bowl the shield over his head and press downwards as you jab the sword into his upper shoulder area. Or press him down as you step to the side/around him and clobber him from behind.<br>
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You could also use the shield more defensively, as he comes in at you, smother him with your scutum but turn your body and shield to the side (towards the left let's say), and as he continues in against your "weak" shield, you could step around him and jab at his back/kidneys.<br>
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Things to think about. <p></p><i></i>

[John Maddox Roberts]

The scutum held out horizontally is very commonly seen in gladiatorial art, especially as employed by the secutor, who fought the retiatius. Whether he is punching with the lower edge of the shield or holding the trident at a distance is unclear. It may also have been a net-evading maneuver. Gladiatorial scuta may have differed from the military sometimes. The tomb effigy of the secutor Bato shows him holding his scutum by a horizontal grip located near the bottom of the shield instead of the middle. <p></p><i></i>