Column of Marcus Aurelius: Odd features

[Matthew]

Interesting: almost all shields depicted on the column are oval, including many used by soldiers wearing a segmentata. Only on two occasions, one of these an assault on a walled structure, do we see the rectangular shields.

Towards the end the Rectangular Scuta make an appearance. Interestingly a number of Soldiers are acrrying them whilst guarding wagons in which a number of Oval Shields are deposited (amongst other things). Could be war booty, but there is also the possibility that the army was carrying different shaped Shields for different actions. A unit of Soldiers a short space after that are depicted with Rectangular Scuta and appear to be again guarding or escorting a wagon.

(I can't seem to link to it)

Matthew James Stanham

[Robert Vermaat]

You are right, and I found a 4th one. Still, it's odd that 99% or even more (I did not count all the shields ) are oval one, used by auxilia and legionaries alike.


This is the one I meant:



You may be referring to this one:



I found a 4th almost at the end:

[Matthew]

No, the one I mean is slightly before the first image you posted. (Why can't I link to them?)

Scoll left past the Cavalry until you find a train of wagons.

[Edit] Okay, I hosted the image at Photobucket, so you can see it:

http://s73.photobucket.com/albums/i226/ ... elius1.jpg

Matthew James Stanham

[Robert Vermaat]

No, the one I mean is slightly before the first image you posted. (Why can't I link to them?)
Scoll left past the Cavalry until you find a train of wagons.

Right-click on the target, choose 'properties', then copy the url and paste it here between [img]and[/img].

Found it - nr 5:

[Matthew]

That's the one!

Great!

Yeah, it puts me in mind of the Weapons and Body Armour being moved on the Bayeux Tapestry, but it could just be War Booty. Still, it makes sense for the Army to be carrying additional Shields and Spears.

Thanks for the directions. I will be sure to do that in the future.

In fact, I'll use it now to point out a Double Headed Axe:



I also think that this Shield Wall image is fantastic.

[Robert Vermaat]

Yeah, it puts me in mind of the Weapons and Body Armour being moved on the Bayeux Tapestry, but it could just be War Booty. Still, it makes sense for the Army to be carrying additional Shields and Spears.

I think you are right, this is the train, with all the arms & armour that may have been transported on wagons while the men march light. The loot is transported also (to the right) in a more haphazard manner.

[Matthew]

Yes, that seems reasonable. Looking back over the column, there are a number of other instances of wagons loaded with Spears and Shields. On this one a Sword is also visible:



Noticably, the fallen barbarian in the lower right corner appears to have a Rectangular Shield. Maybe, maybe not. Interesting stuff.

Matthew James Stanham

[L C Cinna]

I started a thread about the arch of Septimius Severus a month or so ago but couldn't scan the picture I found in a book. There you can see the soldiers with segmentata nearly all carry oval shields while the rectangular scuta are carried by soldiers in hamata. I hope I can scan it soon.

My vague theory when I saw the pics from Septimius arch was that this maybe be due to a process of changing from rectangular to oval and that this process started in a certain area. My guess would be the danubian or German provinces. Because of local customs and because of the different kind of warfare at the limes.

Small scale punishment raids, fighting small incursions and robberies near the boarder where smaller groups of auxiliaries and legionaries would work together. No use for a shieldwall, or a testudo when you have 60 soldiers hunting some 30 barbarians outside a village. therefore the higher likeliness to use oval scuta and longer swords.

When I saw the pics from Severus and those ones now I thought they might be different detachments from different parts of the empire and the artist tried to make a difference. I don't say everyone in the west wore oval, everyone in the east rectangular but as the wars in the east were usually on a much larger scale except for incursions by nomads it might be possible the troops there didn't change so quickly???

[Robert Vermaat]

Also, most if not all oval shields are carried like 'hoplite shields', with two attachment straps. Fact or artistic fiction?

[Tarbicus]

My vague theory when I saw the pics from Septimius arch was that this maybe be due to a process of changing from rectangular to oval and that this process started in a certain area.

I've suggested elsewhere, why couldn't troops have two types of shield for different tactical needs? There isn't necessarily a need for them to only have one type at their disposal at any given time, and we always assume that only one type was available at a given time period with particular types of troops.

[Robert Vermaat]

why couldn't troops have two types of shield for different tactical needs? There isn't necessarily a need for them to only have one type at their disposal at any given time, and we always assume that only one type was available at a given time period with particular types of troops.

Are you suggesting that armies carried two sets of shields with them for every soldier?

[Tarbicus]

It's an idea worth throwing out. Why not? A centurion's letter asks his wife to bring his other shield, so I'm guessing at least he had more than one.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I seem to recall references to persons equiping themselves differently for specific tasks, not sure the sources though, so don't crucify me for saying so.

[Dan Diffendale]

Argues against uniformity of shield designs...

[Matthew]

It's an idea worth throwing out. Why not? A centurion's letter asks his wife to bring his other shield, so I'm guessing at least he had more than one.

True and it doesn't have to be every individual soldier. Presumably an army had a number of 'spares' and it might well be that these included differently shaped ones intended for different actions. Strapping may well have differed as required as well.

This could actually be extended to Body Armour as well. Just because a Legionary had one set of Segmentata, doesn't preclude the possibility that he had a set of Hamata as well. Medieval Warrior types often had numerous sets of Body Armour that was also lent to Retainers as the need arose.

Really it could apply to everything. A good deal of booty taken from a battlefield must have been in Arms and Armour.

Matthew James Stanham