Quote Originally Posted by Tanit View Post
The intent is to recreate the early infantry which was inspired by the swords and oval shields used in Africa. The more scutum looking thureos shield is inspired by Carthage at this time, not only with its own use of the shield type, but also with the use of the shield type by foreign mercenaries such as Celts.
I accept that both the scutum and the gladius, or equivalent short sword, could be present, it's just the combination that surprises me. I know it's not uniquely Roman, but in EB1 you generally saw the scutum combined with a spear (for example the Carthaginians had two basic scutum-and-spear units and one elite scutum-and-sword one). For basic Numidian infantry, the spear seems more likely to me, as it is cheaper and better against the cavalry that would be their primary enemy. Later, under Roman influence and training, they could have switched to the sword, but I doubt this was the case in 272 B.C.