\'scutarius\' or \'scutarus\'?

[ParthianBow]

Which is correct?
All the texts I used when writing my latest book (Warry, Lazenby, Bagnall, Caven et al) use the former - or at least some of them do. Along comes Osprey's new book, Carthaginan Warrior 264-146 BC, and uses the latter.
Which is correct? hock:

(A rapid answer to this - if the latter is correct - would potentially prevent a certain book going to press with multiple errors in it! :oops: )

[D B Campbell]

Which is correct?

Rest easy -- it's scutarius.

[ParthianBow]

*Lets out long, slow sigh of relief*

Thanks, Duncan!
(BTW, do you have a rapid response button from RAT on your PC? 3 minutes to respond to a query is impressive!)

[ParthianBow]

After the fun of the 'falcata'/'falcatae' debate earlier in the year, I'm tempted to put up an excerpt from Soldier of Carthage with mention of said weapons... :lol:

PS Duncan - if vineae is the plural, what is the singular?

[Medicus matt]

Which is correct?
All the texts I used when writing my latest book (Warry, Lazenby, Bagnall, Caven et al) use the former - or at least some of them do. Along comes Osprey's new book, Carthaginan Warrior 264-146 BC, and uses the latter.
Which is correct? hock:

(A rapid answer to this - if the latter is correct - would potentially prevent a certain book going to press with multiple errors in it! :oops: )

Are you using it to mean 'shield maker' (which is, I think, the meaning in Classical latin) or as shield bearer (a meaning which i think only comes about as a Vulgar latin corruption).
Wouldn't it be 'scutarior' in classical latin?

[ParthianBow]

Hi Matt - I'm using it to refer to the Iberians who fought for Hannibal - so I suppose they were shield bearers...

[Medicus matt]

Bit more digging....

Both Suetonius and Ammianus use 'scutario' as third person singular for shield bearer...god knows what case though.

[D B Campbell]

PS Duncan - if vineae is the plural, what is the singular?

vinea. (Oops -- fifteen minutes late with this one!)

(And I know of no such word as scutarus, which was -- I think -- your point.)

[ParthianBow]

vinea. (Oops -- fifteen minutes late with this one!)
(And I know of no such word as scutarus, which was -- I think -- your point.)

Thanks - vinea is what I thought.
Yes, I think that the 'scutarus' is just an unfortunate typo in the new Osprey book.

[Forty-One]

Scutarus might also be a typo for scutatus, which would actually be more strictly correct than scutarius in the sense of a bloke carrying a body-shield. In any case, why should you care what the Roman word was? Is your novel written in Latin?

[D B Campbell]

Scutarus might also be a typo for scutatus, ...

... which is an adjective.