Assorted Historical Questions - Gertrude et al, ask them here!

[NeoSpartan]

...
2. Where was the Roman scutum (the big, curved one generally associated with Marian Legionaries, not sure how much the design changed between the Camillan-Polybian times til then) actually gripped? Every pic I've seen of reenactors (including one site actually detailing the grip), along with the EB soldier models, looks like they're reaching forward and somehow gripping it with their fist (or even straight in and downward), instead of sliging it across their forearm the way I'd assume most shields were gripped.

It seems that holding a shield this way in battle, and actualy taking blows on it, would have just smashed your knuckles into a disfigured, useless mass. These guys must have had the strongest front deltoids in the world as well.

The same way u see in the game, the same way the Celts & many others hold it.

It had a horizontal grip in the boss like this:

http://www.wildfiregames.com/0ad/pag...res/scutum.jpg

http://www.ancienttouch.com/1309.jpg

http://www.wulflund.com/images_items...-bobigny_2.jpg

[mlc82]

The same way u see in the game, the same way the Celts & many others hold it.

It had a horizontal grip in the boss like this:

http://www.wildfiregames.com/0ad/pag...res/scutum.jpg

http://www.ancienttouch.com/1309.jpg

http://www.wulflund.com/images_items...-bobigny_2.jpg

Thanks!

[Spartan198]

The same way u see in the game, the same way the Celts & many others hold it.

It had a horizontal grip in the boss like this:

http://www.wildfiregames.com/0ad/pag...res/scutum.jpg

http://www.ancienttouch.com/1309.jpg

http://www.wulflund.com/images_items...-bobigny_2.jpg

The convex (or is it concave? ) scutum always looked too heavy to be gripped like that.

... Maybe I'll have to buy a reproduction and hold it to judge that for myself.

[Tellos Athenaios]

The Roman rectangular infantry shields are remarkably light.
The cavalry auxilia however weren't as fortunate: their shields are damn heavy.

I've held both. Nijmegen.

[QuintusSertorius]

The Roman infantry shields are remarkably light.

You call 20lbs light?

[Tellos Athenaios]

You call 20lbs light?

No: the oval scutum certainly isn't light; however the rectangular one is remakably light. I trust it to be not actually very light at all; but in any case you don't get the impression to hold very much weight when lifting a Roman rectangular scutum.

[Dhampir]

You call 20lbs light?

It's not heavy.

[QuintusSertorius]

No: the oval scutum certainly isn't light; however the rectangular one is remakably light. I trust it to be not actually very light at all; but in any case you don't get the impression to hold very much weight when lifting a Roman rectangular scutum.

Fair enough, I was just thinking of what something that weight would be like after a few minutes holding it up.

Sure 20lbs is easy to move from one place to another over the course of a few moments, even one-handed, moreso a lighter, smaller shield.

It's not heavy.

Hold it in a ready position for a half an hour and say that.

[The Persian Cataphract]

It's not heavy.

You must also realize that wrists tire quicker than your upper arms; Twenty pounds is more than sufficient to put your grip strength at a severe test after prolonged usage. One must never forget one rudimentary maxim of human strength: You are only as strong as your weakest link.

Anyone who has done some wrist and grip exercising with an unloaded bar-bell knows how tough it can get. Kettle-bells are an even better example.

[paullus]

thanks, MP, that's a much better picture. Interesting theory on the rhomphaia, though it doesn't seem any of these carry rhomphaia...their blades seem--and granted I'm not looking at EVERY soldier to confirm--to be sica, or the one-handed falx (in general, more sharply curved than the rhomphaia blades we have). If that were the purpose, wouldn't it be more useful if the loops were perpendicular to the spine of the shield, rather than parallel?