Hellenistic, Republican Roman and similar shield types

bobm · Post by **bobm** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 12:30 pm

Would like to know which of the various (roughly) oval shields were carried via a horizontal grip and which via a vertical.
I'm pretty sure that all Roman legionaries should have horizontal grip, but am completely in the dark whether others followed suit. I had assumed theurophorai, Spanish and Celts did until I saw various figures. I've even bought some with a second spear held vertically behind an "upright" shield which would be impossible with a Roman style grip.
Can anyone give a definitive answer?

willb · Post by **willb** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:24 pm

From "Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars" figure 41 "The oval Thureos was adopted from the Galatians, and like theirs was wood covered with leather, with a spined boss and central handgrip." The figure is shown with a spear in his right hand and holding the grip and a javelin in his left. The orientation of the grip is the same as the Roman figure 132 in the same book (sho also has the shield and a pilum in his left hand in addition to the pilum in his right). Figures 65 (Thracian) and 109 (Spanish) are shown with the vertical grip, while all the gauls and others that show a grip are horizontal.

bobm · Post by **bobm** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:35 pm

willb wrote:From "Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars" figure 41 "The oval Thureos was adopted from the Galatians, and like theirs was wood covered with leather, with a spined boss and central handgrip." The figure is shown with a spear in his right hand and holding the grip and a javelin in his left. The orientation of the grip is the same as the Roman figure 132 in the same book (sho also has the shield and a pilum in his left hand in addition to the pilum in his right). Figures 65 (Thracian) and 109 (Spanish) are shown with the vertical grip, while all the gauls and others that show a grip are horizontal.

Thanks for that. it would seem plenty of figure manufacturers have got this wrong. Surprised about Thracians and Spaniards who I'd assumed picked up the oval shield from adjacent Celts (Celtiberians and Galations).
It has quite an effect on useage after all, a horizontal grip enables offensive use, the wielder can launch a shoulder charge through the shield.