Shields

A shield is half the kit and most of the silhouette. This collection spans the shield wall's whole history: round Viking shields with iron bosses, the Greek hoplon and Spartan shield, the Roman scutum, and the medieval knight's shields, in steel and in wood.

Choosing a shield

Patterns

The Viking shield is the round shield of the shield wall, here with the Fenrir wolf on the face and an iron shield boss at the centre. The Spartan shield is the hoplon, the large round Greek shield carried on the forearm, marked with the lambda of Lacedaemon. The Roman scutum is the tall curved rectangle of the legionary, the shield of the testudo. The knight's shields, the kite and the heater, are the ones that pair with plate armor. The Crusader, Knight, Spartan, Greek, Roman and Ulfberht bundles pair a shield with a helmet and sword.

Display or use

Match the culture first: a spectacle helm wants a round shield, a Corinthian helmet a hoplon, plate armor a heater or kite shield. Wall display favours painted faces and polished bosses; reenactment wants a firm grip and a shoulder strap. Sizes, materials and mounting notes are on each listing; most hang flat on two hooks. The Spartan shield and Roman scutum also appear with their matching helmets in Greek and Roman armor, and the round shields with the swords and axes in Viking weapons and armor.

Frequently asked questions

What is a shield boss?
The domed iron centre of a round shield, covering the hand grip behind it. On a Viking shield the boss is the only metal on the face.

What is the difference between a kite shield and a heater shield?
The kite is the long, tapering Norman shield that covered a rider from shoulder to shin. The heater is its shorter, triangular descendant, cut down once plate armor covered the legs.

What is a hoplon?
The large round shield of the Greek hoplite, about three feet across, carried on the forearm with a grip at the rim. The Spartan shield is a hoplon with the lambda on it.

Can these be used for reenactment?
The steel and wood shields here are built to be carried. Check the listing for material, weight and strap arrangement.