Different designs for different shield types?

[Carlton Bach]

Is there any indication that certain designs were limited to certain shield types? I'm working on my first one (a parma) and I found a design I'd like to use, but it is on an auxiliary shield.<br>
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I've never heard of such a thing, but I'm not the most knowledgeable guy when it comes to shields. What say you? Can I use it without undue concern? Or should I copy the scale design from the Cancellaria relief parma? <p></p><i></i>

[Andrew Brozyna]

There doesn't seem to be any conclusive evidence, but I'm of the opinion that the same design (with subtle variation among ranks) would be used throughout the unit. If the purpose of the shield design is unit identification, then it makes sense for all the shields in a unit to look similar. This appears to at least be true with shields of the same type, but different rank. There are two very similar shield blazons from aparently different ranks of the same unit seen on the reliefs at Mainz. It looks like one belongs to a centurio and the other to a milite. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any single relief definitively showing a parma with the shields of the rest of it's unit. Isn't it possible the Cancellaria relief shows representatives from different Praetorian units?<br>
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P.S. There are also two parma designs visible on Trajan's column you might also want to check out. A simple circular design and a wreath. <p></p><i></i>