Scutum straps

[Spartacus13]

Does anyone know if Roman scutums had straps for carrying in battle or just a long strap for marching with. I always believed that they had straps for during combat but I recently read an article saying that this is a Hollywood invention.Please can someone shed light on this. Thanks

[Bryan]

The fayum shield, an oval Republican style scutum, supposedly had rings on the inboard side of the shield, which many believe were used for a permanent carry system. Attached is one manner of recreating it:
Scutum straps

I doubt that many infantry would want to strap the shield around their bodies during a fight, as the shield needed to be freely capable of moving, since it was used offensivelyas well as defensively. Some of the shield hits, like the umbo/boss strike, or a horizontal bottom edge strike, would be difficult or impossible to do if the scutum was carried on a strap around the wearer's shoulder. However, cavalry must have had to have their shield's slung, in case they needed to use their left hand. In addition, infantry would often require both hangs, such as for climbing, so the straps would have been necessary and handy.

An artistic representation of the battle of Vercellae (101 BC), against the Cimbri. Notice the carrying straps.

[Sextus Saturninus]

After carrying a scutum and a clippeus, I notice that it is much nicer having a carrying strap for marching, as some shields do, for it lets your arm not carry the entire load on your arm. Especially needed when your shield is very heavy. For combat, a bad idea, for marching, a good one

[Spartacus13]

Hi, thanks loads but I just realised that I mis-phrased my question. What i meant was did they have straps to attach the scutum onto the arm during combat? thanks again

[clubinglex]

To my actual knowledge , combat shields straps appears in : Mycenaean heavy infantry, Macedonian phalanx, Byzantine kite shield, heater shields.

[Bryan]

Hi, thanks loads but I just realised that I mis-phrased my question. What i meant was did they have straps to attach the scutum onto the arm during combat? thanks again

The standard Roman scutum (400 BC-200 AD) was probably not strapped to the arm during combat. Doing so would limit the usage of that style of shield, preventing it from tilting, which absorbs the impact of missiles and other incoming hits. It would also make umbo/boss strikes less efficient, as the scutum is basically a 15-20 lb knuckleduster, strapping it to the upper forearms prevents much of the free movement that makes the scutum as effective as it was.

Not to say it never happened though. One style of gladiator shield, which looked like a cut down scutum, appears to have been strapped to the arm. But then again, gladiators also fought with tridents and nets too. In addition, some artistic finds like Trajan's Column show war shields strapped to the arm, but that's probably just artistic misrepresentation (the hand grips don't match up with the location of the umbo).

[Crispvs]

"the scutum is basically a 15-20 lb knuckleduster"

Really? Where did you get that idea? I don't think I have read it in any ancient document - is there one I might be unaware of?

As far as I know, the idea of 'punching with the shield boss' is a modern assumption. To make such a move in a combat situation with a shield three and a half to four feet tall, you would have to lift the shield one to two feet off the ground for the boss to be anywhere near your opponent's head, which would dangerously expose your lower body, as well as opening the man next to you to a greater level of danger from weapons thrusts and missiles. Added to that, in using it to punch, you would be pushing it away from your own body and would thus be exposing yourself for thrusts from enemies to either side of the person you were punching at.

Furthermore, the primary purpose of the shield boss is not for use as a 'mailed fist' as some have contended, but instead to provide rigid protection for your hand, which is, after all, sticking through the front of the shield due to the fact that the best position for the handle is to be on the same plane as the shield board, in order to exert the maximum level of control.

OT I know and nothing to do with straps, but it is best to put these factoids to bed sooner rather than later.

Regarding the gladiators, the Retiarius (the class of gladiator who carried the trident and net) did not carry a shield. Instead he had a large flange on the pauldron worn on his left shoulder which he could duck his head behind if he needed to.

Crispvs

[Robert Vermaat]

To make such a move in a combat situation with a shield three and a half to four feet tall, you would have to lift the shield one to two feet off the ground for the boss to be anywhere near your opponent's head, which would dangerously expose your lower body, as well as opening the man next to you to a greater level of danger from weapons thrusts and missiles. Added to that, in using it to punch, you would be pushing it away from your own body and would thus be exposing yourself for thrusts from enemies to either side of the person you were punching at.

Agreed, but that does not mean it's out of the question. many umbos had a nasty point/skike and although that would hurt anyone pushing against you i would not rule out that a blow could be given. Very inadvisable in a shield wall situation though, indeed.

[A_Volpe]

did they have straps to attach the scutum onto the arm during combat?

No. No evidence has survived that suggests Romans used some kind of strapping system to strap the shield to the arm, hand, or body. There is some kind of strapping system/suspension that was used to carry the shield while route marching, but, nothing really solid has been found to tell us what that looked like, nor when/how long it was used.

Greek Hoplite shields and other period shields do use a "forearm" grip, with a forearm strap and a suspension rope on the inside, but that's really all we see of such an arrangement. The Romans in the Republic (ca 200's BCE), were using a horizontal hand grip in the center of their shields. That is also mentioned, IIRC, in Polybius. Those shields, the Scutum, were long with a curved 'almond' or oval shape (eventually evolving into a straight-edged rectangular shape). Greek shields are round with a stepped or concave cross-section.

The mention of the Gladiatorial fight with what appears to be a strap around the arm is interesting, I didn't know about it before. However, I would be very careful to steer clear to superimpose the gladiatorial games over Roman military/combat fighting. Gladiatorial fights are staged and for spectators. So strapping the shield to the fighter's arm may be intended to prevent him from certain movements or dropping the shield.

Incidentally, we don't see a "return" of a forearm-like grip until the 10th - 13th centuries with the rise of the armored soldier/knight.
The Greek-Macedonians (Alexander the Great) Phalanx using their Sarissa pikes, apparently had a smallish round shield that strapped around the neck/shoulder, so they could use their pikes two-handed (since you have to operate such a weapon with two hands). We see a "return" of this with Pike & Shot emerging in the 16th - 17th centuries. Interestingly enough, there are Drill and tactical manuals in that period that source Macedonian and Roman writers. There is one manual ("Mars His Field or the Excersise of Armes." R. Daniell ca 1625) that shows pikemen wearing a smallish round shield suspended on the shoulder/neck with a strap, so both hands can operate the pike. (of course, the 17th century tacticians felt "If it was good enough for Alexander the Great, it's good enough for us!")

[Nathan Ross]

As far as I know, the idea of 'punching with the shield boss' is a modern assumption

I thought that was what Tacitus is describing in these passages?:

When the Batavians; therefore, began to redouble their blows, to strike with the bosses of their shields, and mangle the faces of the enemy... (Agricola, 36)

The troops, in return, struck them down with spears, dashed them back with their shield-bosses, hurled on them siege-javelins (Annals, 4.51)

...when their javelins were discharged, employing shield-boss and sword, let them steadily pile up the dead (Annals, 14.36)

It looks like the legionary here is using his shield in this way too.

[Bryan]

"the scutum is basically a 15-20 lb knuckleduster"

Really? Where did you get that idea? I don't think I have read it in any ancient document - is there one I might be unaware of?

As far as I know, the idea of 'punching with the shield boss' is a modern assumption. To make such a move in a combat situation with a shield three and a half to four feet tall, you would have to lift the shield one to two feet off the ground for the boss to be anywhere near your opponent's head, which would dangerously expose your lower body, as well as opening the man next to you to a greater level of danger from weapons thrusts and missiles. Added to that, in using it to punch, you would be pushing it away from your own body and would thus be exposing yourself for thrusts from enemies to either side of the person you were punching at.

Furthermore, the primary purpose of the shield boss is not for use as a 'mailed fist' as some have contended, but instead to provide rigid protection for your hand, which is, after all, sticking through the front of the shield due to the fact that the best position for the handle is to be on the same plane as the shield board, in order to exert the maximum level of control.

OT I know and nothing to do with straps, but it is best to put these factoids to bed sooner rather than later.

Regarding the gladiators, the Retiarius (the class of gladiator who carried the trident and net) did not carry a shield. Instead he had a large flange on the pauldron worn on his left shoulder which he could duck his head behind if he needed to.

Crispvs

You're actually one of the few I've ever seen to challenge that aspect of the scutum being used offensively; most others only challenge the use of the bottom edge, in which there is no literary evidence and only quasi archaeological evidence. When it comes to using the scutum's umbo as a weapon, there are actually quite a few accounts from ancient sources, Nathan Ross posted two examples, then there is Val. Maximus' account of the one armed Acilius (Caesar's soldier) bashing a ship's crew to submission (3.2.23). I'll try to find a few more in the future but I'm very busy lately with non-Roman stuff. I'd look at anything written on this website by Matthew Amt, who did a very good job describing this stuff in the past (I borrowed the knuckleduster comment from him), as well as the writings of Ross Cowan and others.

[Crispvs]

Thanks for that corrective Nathan. It seems I need to read Tacitus again - I'm obviously getting rusty. The metope image was one I had forgotten to consider, and I agree that it certainly does appear that the legionary is punching/pushing with the shield while he stabs the Dacian warrior. Of course, given the nature of the images from the Tropaeum Traiani it is virtually impossible to determine the exact nature of the warfare being depicted. It is natural to assume that some at least of the metopes are intended to represent actions in set piece battles with battle lines but we simply don't know and some at least of the metope images suggest skirmishing, raids on villages and possibly guerrilla warfare, where more individual combat may have occurred.

"Incidentally, we don't see a "return" of a forearm-like grip until the 10th - 13th centuries with the rise of the armored soldier/knight."

Hmmm - I'm not so sure of that. Some figures on the arch of Galerius hold shields which appear to have a forearm strap or something similar, combined with a vertical bar on the inside right of the shield which is gripped by the hand.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/rom...y_06.shtml

I am sure i have seen this arrangement depicted elsewhere too. I expect Robert can shed more light on this.

Crispvs

[Robert Vermaat]

I am sure i have seen this arrangement depicted elsewhere too. I expect Robert can shed more light on this.

Would if I could (I take it you mean me ), but that another of those looong discussions. So far no archaeological evidence, all central grips. Which makes it
a) difficult to understand how a standard bearer carries his pole as well as a shield (or insome cases, a soldier holding several javelins) and
b) why some artistic evidence (as you rematked) seems to show some sort of forearm strap. But maybe that's just more archaic stuff we seem to find in Roman art?

Frankly, I'm not sure on this one. It seems practical (trap!) but only slight artistic pictorial evidence exists, if at all.