There are many kinds of Roman shields used by Roman legions. In earlier times, they were oval and flat, but during the British invasion (AD 43), they were mostly rectangular and curved, just like a part of a cylinder. Roman shields are mostly made of wood, glued together with several layers of glue to make an arc. In order to increase strength, some extra wood was glued on the back. Then cover the shield with leather and add a piece of linen in front, and the pattern is usually painted on the front.

Roman shields have many designs, but the most famous ones are eagle wings and lightning. The eagle is the symbol of the Roman army, and lightning is the symbol of Jupiter, the king of the gods (Jupiter is the Roman version of the Greek god Zeus, and lightning descends from the sky).

In Duraobes, a Roman fortress in Syria, only a well-preserved shield with images of eagles, lions and winged gods was found. It was made in 200 AD.

In battle, hold the shield with your arms straight and your hands in the middle. Put your hand through a hole cut in the middle of the shield. The hole is protected by a metal shell, which is an iron hemisphere surrounded by an iron plate. Roman shields were used as cold weapons. Roman soldiers can push shields to attack the enemy and make them lose their balance.

Auxiliary shield

Legion soldiers must be Roman citizens. However, people living in Roman-ruled land can join the army, even if they are not Roman citizens. They are called auxiliary soldiers, and their equipment is different. They usually wear chain mail and use flat oval shields. No complete auxiliary shields were found, but we know what they look like from the stone carvings.

Modern Roman shields: You can see some modern Roman shields.