In ancient Rome, what was a scutum?
Scutum (shield) experienced in the Roman campaigns against Carthage and Dacia where the "falcata" and "falx" could easily penetrate and rip through it. The effects of these weapons prompted design changes that made the "scutum" more resilient such as thicker planks and metal edges. The "aspis", which it replaced, was heavier and provided less protective coverage than the "scutum" but was much more durable. According to Polybius, the "scutum" gave Roman soldiers an edge over their Carthaginian enemies during the Punic Wars: "Their arms also give the men both protection and confidence owing to the size of the shield." The Roman writer
Scutum (shield) Scutum (shield) The scutum (; plural "scuta"; ) was a type of shield used among Italic peoples in antiquity, and then by the army of ancient Rome starting about the fourth century BC. The Romans adopted it when they switched from the military formation of the "hoplite" phalanx of the Greeks to the formation with "maniples". In the former, the soldiers carried a round shield, which the Romans called a "clipeus". In the latter, they used the "scutum", which was a larger shield. Originally it was an oblong and convex shield. By the first century BC it had developed into