SHIELD
Before body armor was worn, a warrior had only his personal skill and trusty shield to keep himself free of harm in battle. Although of little use against the firepower faced by the 21st century soldier, shields can still be seen in use today by various military and police units as well as certain tribes in Australia and Africa that still fight "the old fashioned way".
Throughout the ages, shields have come in a variety of shapes, sizes and, materials. Depending on the period and culture, shields could be constructed of wood, bronze, iron, steel, bamboo, rattan, woven reeds, deerskin, buffalo hide, aluminum or plexiglas.
Round shields were very common in most countries, especially Europe, although the heater shield (with its flat top and two curving sides meeting in a point) used by crusading knights was also popular during the 11th and 12th centuries; the scutum, a rectangular shield that covered the bearer from shin to chin, was used for centuries by soldiers of the Roman army; warriors of classical Greece carried a massive round shield of bronze that weighed in the neighborhood of 17 pounds; small shields held in one hand by a single handle were called bucklers and were often used in the left hand in conjunction with the rapier or English shortsword.
Before body armor was worn, a warrior had only his personal skill and trusty shield to keep himself free of harm in battle. Although of little use against the firepower faced by the 21st century soldier, shields can still be seen in use today by various military and police units as well as certain tribes in Australia and Africa that still fight "the old fashioned way".
Throughout the ages, shields have come in a variety of shapes, sizes and, materials. Depending on the period and culture, shields could be constructed of wood, bronze, iron, steel, bamboo, rattan, woven reeds, deerskin, buffalo hide, aluminum or plexiglas.
Round shields were very common in most countries, especially Europe, although the heater shield (with its flat top and two curving sides meeting in a point) used by crusading knights was also popular during the 11th and 12th centuries; the scutum, a rectangular shield that covered the bearer from shin to chin, was used for centuries by soldiers of the Roman army; warriors of classical Greece carried a massive round shield of bronze that weighed in the neighborhood of 17 pounds; small shields held in one hand by a single handle were called bucklers and were often used in the left hand in conjunction with the rapier or English shortsword.