DescriptionEdit

The Scutum is the traditional "tower shield" carried by Roman infantry soldiers, where it plays a primary role in their historically famous defensive formations.

The metal "boss" at the center of the scutum allow it to be used to bash foes. Such a heavy blow could send them staggering or even knock them down.

The Scutum is the trademark shield used when forming the Roman infantry technique known as Testudo.

VariationsEdit

Although the term scutum in modern days is used almost exclusively to refer to the famous "interlocking" rectangular Roman legionary shield, scutum carried in the arena could be either rectangular or oval in shape.

In HistoryEdit

As well as its military use, the scutum was used in battle by several types of gladiator, including the Murmillo and Samnite.

Although Murmillo gladiators depicted in the series are usually (but not always) shown to use a rectangular scutum, they were historically more likely to be armed with the large oval style (to reflect their "Gaulish" origin), with the rectangular version more commonly used by the Samnite. With the eventual phasing out of the Samnite class, however, this later changed.

On ScreenEdit

Users of this WeaponEdit

• Arkadios (rectangular)
• Crixus (rectangular)
• Caburus (rectangular)
• Lysimachus (rectangular)
• Dagan (oval)
• Mycter (rectangular)
• Abiron (oval)
• Strabo (oval)

External LinksEdit

Scutum article on Wikipedia