08-17-2007, 03:03 AM
Quote:It was around 100 BC, and the legionary's shield was too large. The fact that it was too large indicates it would have been fine for protecting the man to his left, so it being useless for a testudo is a tantalising possibility for the punishment
I suspect this is the apocryphal story told of Scipio Africanus"noticing the shield of a certain soldier rather elaborately decorated (told elsewhere as over-sized shield) rebuked him, saying he didn't wonder the man had adorned it with such care( or it was over-sized), seeing that he put more trust in it than his sword." Frontinus, Stratagems IV.1.5 - the tale is also referred to by Plutarch, Livy and Polyaenus.
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
