Oct 24, 2017 · Yeah Carolingian shield patterns are actually pretty similar to Byzantine patterns. There's also the Notitia Dignitatum, which shows a lot of Late Roman shield patterns. But they're late Roman, not Saxon.

Sep 22, 2016 · An aspis is about the same diameter of a Saxon round shield. So how is it the former couldn't defend against missiles, while the latter performed well against them? What was the typical formation depth for each type, different types of infantry present in and immediately around the phalanx/shield wall?

May 5, 2024 · The early medieval archaeologists are pretty good on "if an Early Anglo-Saxon shield averaged 60 cm in diameter, it was probably used differently than a Viking Age shield that averaged 90 cm in diameter" but sometimes they overlook contemporary sources from the Roman empire because they are not trained in ancient literature.

Jun 11, 2018 · If you want your shield just for defense, the kite shield is a better option. It typically used an arm strap to hold it, less tiring than the hand grip typical of a round shield. By the same token, the hand grip of round shield made it more manueverable. Kite shields were better for horsemen, since they offered better protection for the riders leg.

Sep 22, 2016 · This concept of the shield-wall as barricade is seen as well in the late Roman Fulcum (really German), kind of a linear testudo, and the Saxon Boardweal or Scildweal and the Viking Skjaldborg. The Roman version puts 4 ranks of men with heavy throwing/thrusting spears and large shields in front of another 8 ranks of missile troops.

The ;'Saxon Shore' wasn't there for nothing, but note that the protection was along a limited section of coastline, suggesting that Saxon pirates were raiding only so far. Saxons, Jutes, and Angles were already residents of the British Isles by this time and regarded by the Romans as 'good citizens, thus the piracy was from a lawless minority ...

Apr 22, 2023 · So he used retreat than counter attack fryd who leave the Anglo-Saxon shield wall over and over and eventually it weakened the Anglo-Saxons enough that he was able to do the killing blow. Now this sounds like typical disorganized poorly trained Medieval Warfare esp since one army was composed almost entirely of militia.....

Aug 14, 2007 · The Saxon kite shields of the time of the Norman invasion, for instance. The typical kite shield such as used by the Normans, however, was of a left-right (or slightly diagonal) enarme grip style - because the focus had shifted away from infantry and shield-walls to cavalry. Shields are purpose-built.

After having read a bit about the strategic use and effects of Pilums as a standard in the Roman army. How they would throw their Pilums at the enemies' shields, rendering them useless (Pilums having a long soft iron spearhead, often with a weight …

Feb 15, 2010 · The Parthians had kataphraktoi, just ask Crassus. You don't need stirrups to wield a sword, spear or mace. Ancient eastern civilizations made heavy use of light horse archers but they still had amounts of heavy cavalry which they used to smash into the enemy. The Norman knights fought as shock cavalry battering the Saxon shield wall at Hastings.