Dimensions of the Late Roman Shield

[Anonymous]

Can anyone tell me the standard dimensions of the late roman shield. I keep looking at my reconstruction and think it is gigantically huge.<br>
<br>
Dave <p>Valete,<br>
<br>
Dave/Cicero<br>
<br>
www.freewebs.com/seguntienses/index.htm</p><i></i>

[Robert Vermaat]

<br>
Quote:</em></strong><hr>I keep looking at my reconstruction and think it is gigantically huge.<hr>It should be.<br>
Most shields of our period measured between 1.07 and 1.18m in length and 0.92 and 0.97 in width. My flat one is 1.18 x 0.97m, the dished one is a little bit smaller.<br>
Of course, these measurements are based on the scuta from Dura Europos (3rd c.).<br>
<p>Valete,<br>
Valerius/Robert<br>
[url=http://www.fectio.org.uk/" target="top]fectienses seniores[/url]</p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Robert,<br>
<br>
I was beginning to wonder if I made a mistake in converting centimeters to inches.<br>
<br>
The dimensions of my shield is 1.18m x .965m or 46 1/2" tall by 38" wide.<br>
<br>
Have there been any other late roman shields discovered besides the Dura Europos find?<br>
<br>
<p>Valete,<br>
<br>
Dave/Cicero<br>
<br>
www.freewebs.com/seguntienses/index.htm</p><i></i>

[Theodosius the Great]

Hi Dave,<br>
<br>
Mine's about 42 inches tall by 36 inches wide, but my shield isn't flat (it's concave) so I think you're right on the mark .<br>
<br>
-Theo <p><img src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y25/RCasti998/CHI-RO2.jpg" style="border:0;"/></p><i></i>

[FAVENTIANVS]

Check at the Illerup (Danmark) III century hoards, there are few shields, mainly germanic, but the weapons are clearly roman.<br>
www.moesmus.dk/illerup/de...language=0<br>
<p>Ivan Perelló<br>
MARCVS CAECILIVS FAVENTIANVS<br>
<br>
<img src="http://geocities.com/ivarmaelstrom/septimaniseniores2.jpg" style="border:0;"/></p><i></i>

[Vadormarius]

The general dimensions I have heard from the "round shield school" is about 1 meter in diameter. Most of the round shields that have been found seem to have come from Germania Libra, namely the Danish Bog finds.<br>
<br>
Vadormarius/Jim <p></p><i></i>

[aitor iriarte]

You have also some round concave shields from Egypt (early sixth century in date?) now at Trier, about one meter in diameter. They've been published as an appendix at the end of Markus Junkelmann's 'Horsemen like bronze statues' (in German! )<br>
<br>
Aitor <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=aitoririarte>Aitor Iriarte</A> at: 3/23/05 8:06 am<br></i>

[Robert Vermaat]

Good link.<br>
They don't give any dimensions, but one can get a general idea when looking at the reconstruction:<br>
[url=http://www.moesmus.dk/illerup/custom/illerup_largeimage.php?language=0&show=0200&extension=jpg" target="top]www.moesmus.dk/illerup/custom/illerup_largeimage.php?language=0&show=0200&extension=jpg[/url] <p>Valete,<br>
Valerius/Robert<br>
[url=http://www.fectio.org.uk/" target="top]fectienses seniores[/url]</p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Avete omnes,<br>
<br>
Cool links, It's good to know I didn't mess up the dimensions, I'd had to have to redo the thing.<br>
<br>
Is that a metal rim? White pants? That's a lot of washing.<br>
<br>
<p>Valete,<br>
<br>
Dave/Cicero<br>
<br>
www.freewebs.com/seguntienses/index.htm</p><i></i>

[Carlton Bach]

emmm - 98 cm is the width across the board, right? Before curving? Because some of the shields in period art look a lot more oval than 1 : 1.2<br>
<br>
How much of a curvature is appropriate? Does anyone know, or are we all guessing?<br>
<br>
(Yes, I want to make one, too. I just got some cheap birch plywood and 4th century is just stylish)<br>
<br>
Volker <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Ave Volker,<br>
<br>
Welcome to the Dark "age" Side.<br>
<br>
Yeah 98 would be the width.<br>
<br>
<p>Valete,<br>
<br>
Dave/Cicero<br>
<br>
www.freewebs.com/seguntienses/index.htm</p><i></i>

[Robert Vermaat]

Quote:</em></strong><hr>How much of a curvature is appropriate? Does anyone know, or are we all guessing?<hr><br>
<br>
This make any sense?<br>
<img src="http://www.fectio.org.uk/articles/scutum15.jpg" style="border:0;"/><br>
<br>
If not, here's the article [url=http://www.fectio.org.uk/articles/makescutum.htm" target="top]in full[/url]. <p>Valete,<br>
Valerius/Robert<br>
[url=http://www.fectio.org.uk/" target="top]fectienses seniores[/url]</p><i></i>

[Carlton Bach]

Thanks. Vorigern. That's a neat trick. You wouldn't happen to have one for the Valkenburg shield up your sleeve?<br>
<br>
But - this is a flat board? I always assumed Late Roman shields were curved. Many depictions certainly look like that. Am I walking into one of those 'minefields' here? <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Carlton,<br>
<br>
Apparently both kinds have been found so flat is acceptable.<br>
<br>
<p>Valete,<br>
<br>
Dave/Cicero<br>
<br>
www.freewebs.com/seguntienses/index.htm</p><i></i>