Notitia Shield Design - DEpicted in Stone at Housteads?

[Mithras]

I was looking at various inscriptions and carvings in a book on the Wall, when I came across this carving of an auxiliary. Its from Housesteads, no date given, but probably either Batavian or Tungrian (German or Belgic origins). The shield design jumped right out at me, I was sure I'd seen it in the Notitia Dignitatum. A few minutes later I found it: in Illyricum, the Britones Seniores!!! It is a radiating pattern, and there are lots of those in the ND. But the Britones Seniores is a fantastic match.





OK. Tell me its co-incidence.

No, I never win the lottery either

[Sassanid]

Hi Paul

It could be - but it also looks like a standard Mars pose, and Mars is often depicted with such a shield (with or without armour).

For example -

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/S ... rcMars.jpg

Andrew

[Mithras]

Andrew, what's the shield design on that Mars you've got hammered (sorry, is that repoused?!) into your greave? Is it the same design as the Housesteads carving.

[Sassanid]

Very similar. Exactly the same though - no!

Trouble is I have about 30 images of Mars on Roman equipment and carvings - but no shield is quite the same. The pose though is, and when his body armour is depicted - again it looks very similar to your Houseteads carving.

All that said - you could still be right? I will photocopy my Mars images Alex gave me and send them to you.

Andrew

[Peroni]

I've always been a bit mystified by the headgear depicted in this carving.

Could it be a corona of some description? An award? If it is, then maybe it is an auxiliary soldier(?)

Regards,

[Praefectusclassis]

Auxiliary soldiers, iirc, were not eligible for the normal award system and, moreover, normal soldiers were certainly not eligible for coronae.

[Peroni]

Thanks Jasper.

Regards,

[Robert Vermaat]

I was looking at various inscriptions and carvings in a book on the Wall, when I came across this carving of an auxiliary. Its from Housesteads, no date given, but probably either Batavian or Tungrian (German or Belgic origins). The shield design jumped right out at me, I was sure I'd seen it in the Notitia Dignitatum. A few minutes later I found it: in Illyricum, the Britones Seniores!!! It is a radiating pattern, and there are lots of those in the ND. But the Britones Seniores is a fantastic match.

Well...
First: yes, the design looks the same.
Second: Like you said, the ND is full of radiating designs.
Third: from the spatha I'd say this is 3rd-c.
Fourth: as the spatha hangs on the right hip, I'd say this is a cavalryman.
Fith: that means the Britones Seniores would be very unlikely, as this is generally thought of as a vexillation of the Secunda Britones, i.e. the old Legio II Augusta. Which would mean the Britones Seniores were infantry, while this man most likely is a cavalryman.

How 'bout that so far?

[Mithras]

OK. Good points!

Andrew's sent me line drawings of the 'Mars' figure and that shield design shows up there as well.

[Sassanid]

Paul,

My email is down at present. It has been a bit hit and miss during the past 24 hours and now its seems to have packed in properly. This though is a picture of the original greave - where the shield detail is a little clearer.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y102/S ... RSOCRA.jpg

I will send you a larger image when it is back up.


Andrew