Late-Roman Scuta

[Crispvs]

I think (although I am quite prepared to be shot down over this) that at least two flat shields of rectangular shape with rounded corners and with wooden barleycorn bosses were found at Nydam. Also, although outside the Roman period, flat round planked shields had a long history in Scandanavia (which is generally considered to have been culturally Germanic), appearing in the Gokstadt ship burial and (I think) the Gjermundbu(?spelling) burial. Whilst the Scandanavian examples might not be considered relavant they do at least show a Germanic culture which had knowledge of late Roman equipment (the Sutton Hoo helmet, for example) and which also used flat shields. As a footnote, for nearly seven years I fought using a flat 30 inch round shield and rarely had problems protecting myself with it. It needed to be moved around more to give as much protection as a dished shield would, but after several years of practice this movement became almost instinctive.<br>
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Crispvs <p></p><i></i>