A scutum and gladius also makes for a handy home defense weapon combo for when you're either not allowed to have guns, don't have one, or are afraid of over penetration. As long as the intruder is unarmed, or at least not armed with a gun, you can sit yourself in a hall or doorway with the scutum in front and they're going to have a hard time getting past you and every time they get close, you just stab out from the side or overhead with the gladius.
@@jintsuubest9331 Not as fun or sturdy as a well made scutum and a stick is no replacement for a gladius, or any sword for that matter. The problem with a stick is that it's best for striking and in a hallway with a scutum, or even a modern riot shield, you're going to be largely limited to overhead swings.
@@GuitarsRockForever Yeah, most of europe too. You can use weapons only if the intruder is also armed and you had virtually no other option, for instance, if it was a choice between fighting the intruder or jumping out of the 3rd floor window carrying your twin babies.
Perfect for spicing up your pasta after a hard days of marching and fighting barbarians. Just turn your sword point up and crank the hilt a few times over your carbonara.
There is a passage on the pilum in "The [unofficial] Legionnaires handbook" where the author describes how useless the pilum was compared to a spear or javelin, which as we all know have many useful utilitarian applications. The passage concludes with saying that the pilum is even more deadly because having carried the "formerly useless thing" for the better part of a decade the legionary will probably hurl it with even more force.
Damn.. All these people on youtube get to do what they love for a living.. I'm sore and tired and MUST be back at the metal shop for 7 am. The struggle is real..
I just started graduate studies at Yale... had the opportunity to look at one of the few remaining scutum from a dig at Dura Europos for my archaeology class. It was some cool stuff!
I'm sooo getting one of these, painted like Caesar's XIII in HBO's Rome... Thank you. If I'd had one in my LARPing days, people would have thought I was even more OP than I was with my homemade tower shield. At once point I decided "nuts with being a Paladin." I traded my "sub class" of White Mage/Cleric for Black Mage/Wizard. Instead of healing myself and wearing armor and using all the Warrior gear (my "primary" class), I dropped my sword and just nuked people with one hand while in max armor hiding behind a big shield. I hate that even an RPG like Skyrim doesn't let this work as awesome as it did for me. I was the only person ever to win without using any weapons lolz. Even Mages and Clerics relied on their staffs, knives (throwable), hammers, etc. What you say about arms strength is true! As a teen, my two arms developed different proportions of slow and fast twitch muscle from so much LARPing with a bastard sword and tower shield. Plus a machete in my dominant hand since before the Age of Reason! It took years of weight lifting, martial arts, yoga, etc plus conscious left-hand practice to kinda even it out. To this day tho, when I have to hold something heavy up long beyond comfort, I can feel my old "tower shield power" in my left arm, and lo can my right arm give such a smite! I can hit harder with a stick in my dominant hand than people who more than double my strength in most measurable ways (i'm only 170 very lean pounds), sometimes even using 2 hands, even when they use decent body mechanics (like a Cold Steel ABSOLUTE PROOF test cutter. one guy IS pretty good tho, the skinniest one who tests rapiers etc). I can only imagine what growing up with a bokken in old school Japan would have been like...
One question i would have lived to have answered is “how much does the scutum actually weigh? You mention it’s not as light as many would imagine but nothing specific (my apologies if you did I I simply missed this but if info. Many thanks for this and all your fantastic videos (I’m delighted to be one of your Patreon supporters for this very reason!)
how close to authentic is that reproduction scutum in terms of sturdiness? were ancient scutum meant to last for significant engagements, and if so, what made them stronger than the reproduction you are showing us?
First of all, wonderful video. As always. I particularly liked that you pointed out that shields are, for the most part, carried rather than used in war. That said, though, is there an optimal way of gripping a shield in actual combat? If so, does it depend on the type of shield?
I literally have a Scutum arriving in the mail today to hang on my wall, as well as a Gladius. (The Scutum is the Indian made version, and the Gladius isn't sharpened, but they're just for display)
Nice to see more ancient stuff. I'm not such a fan of the Romans but most are, so I can understand the focus. :) What is the weight of the scutum? When Marcus Junkelmann's group made their tests in the 1980s (marching over the Alps and such) their replicas were rather heavy, almost 10 kg, althought they mostly had the more protective late republican/early imperial longer oval shields. Other replicas, in my opinion perhaps more accurate, I know of are in the 6 to 7 kg range.
Is this documentary with about 8 peoples you trained for a week, using Vegetius ? I remember seeing a documentary like that on the french TV, and the leanring curve was very impressive !
@@PalleRasmussen The boss was used to push opponents off balance. Some scuta had protective metal trims around the perimeter which could be used to jam an opponent also. But as he says, it was a weapons system designed to work hand in glove with the gladius.
@@thomaszaccone3960 mostly true yes. Though an accurate Viking shield is fairly large and can be used effectively in formation. They do leave the lower leg and feet exposed though, but body mechanics makes those areas hardest to hit, and if you hold the shield out from your body, that angle is closed. It is very effective if an entire line does it, but- like the Scutum, quite tiring.
Great video as always, Matt. I do have a question in regard to the scutum. A few months ago, I had the opportunity to handle one, and I noticed one thing: when you hold your arm with the scutum outstretched (for instance to punch the boss into an opponent), the shield will almost always tilt up and toward your shoulder. I found this quite annoying - as it tilted, it exposed parts of my body that were previously covered, and the upper part of the shield always fell onto my shoulder, which was uncomfortable. I asked myself whether this was intentional and, if so, why. I would be curious as to what you think. Keep up the good work!
Matt, can you teach us your scutum weight in kg? I know it is not a global measure but, I wanted to know the shield weight you will be carrying in your videos about scout from now on. Thank you.
Upvoted, but I'm a little frustrated. You told us three or four times about how it was heavy but not how heavy! Also, that's some nice rawhide on the rim but what is the main shield itself made of? That looks like a steel boss- is that historically accurate? I mean, come on- how is an armor geek supposed to properly geek out on a piece of armor with so little information to go on?
I don't remember the exact details, but the Romans used a very effective system of rotating out the front line of their formations while in close contact, so the guy fighting in the very front was only there for a min or less then switched out and went to the very back to rest. So if all went to plan each member only had to fight 1 min out of 10 -15, not bad at all even with very heavy gear.
Yes. I have heard that as well. I just wanted to know how long can it be used effectively. That could give us an insight into how long did each "shift" last. And were there ever battles were the line was so shallow that soldiers did not have enough time to fully rest?
@@Seallussus the method for rotating troops than the Roman's had is modern speculation. We know that the Roman's rotated Maniples through the battle to keep fresh troops in the front... but the exact mechanics of this are unknown. Later cohorts mention keeping fresh troops at the front but again, no details of how they did it. What we see today are basically "best guesses." It might be they actually waited for the lines to back away from each other to switch people (or units) around and attack the enemy while they where still catching their breath. Or maybe there was some other rotating system in place, we probably will never know exactly for sure. Also remember the Roman army changes A LOT over the years.
If all scutums were of the same size I believe the height of the soldier or more specifically the arm length can be an important factor, i guess with a short arm you can stretch it to a resting position without losing much protection. Giving the long curvature of the scutum you can press the shield a little against the body so the weight doesn't feel so much. Also in a shield array you can put the shield on the ground and lean behind, bur that just for a static defensive position.
I wonder since you said that they would need to train both arms ( weapon and shield ) did they have a form of weight training or weight lifting to help build the muscles or did they just carry the shield around to work up the strength in the arm?
What I was wondering the other day. Why doesnt the standard pole run through a scutum? Then at least the Signifer can have a shield on front of them as they carry the standard for the unit.
But Roman army training weapons (sword and shield) were always heavier than their regular counter parts because they were also meant to increase muscle and stamina of a recruit.
You're quoting a late Roman source - Vegetius. We don't actually know if that practice was widespread and surviving practice swords are actually lighter than the real weapons!
@@scholagladiatoria Thanks for replying. Nah, I got this from that illustrated book, "The Roman Army" by Peter Connolly. Very nice book but not much text = perfect for kids and young teens.
About the shirt: judging from the knives on display i could come up with what the R and the V stand for, but C A? Shouldn't it be L B? At least that would be it if i am right. (and the 3rd form above should have some blue light next to it :-D )
It looks like a Mere or Patu, New Zealand Maori traditional weapons(and lots more dangerous than they look). Made of wood, or sometimes Pounamu(greenstone) in cases of particular artifice.
I would love it if you did a video on Guilds of the high middle ages and renaissance. cause I say the village blacksmith who is not a member of a guild would be able to make a better sword than a smith of the swordmakers guild because a village blacksmith is not confined to a guild charter.
The village smith has no quality guidelines to meet, and is probably not trained to make a sword. Meanwhile, the guild certified swordsmith does nothing but make swords, has to meet quality guidelines, and is extensively trained. He also has a large shop with apprentices, and visiting journeymen smiths.
@@sambakich7494 Before I start my counter-argument you got the definition of Journeymen wrong as the word comes from the French word journée which translates to day. so Rank of Journeymen just meant you were able to make a day's wage. an apprentice's parents would pay a master craftsman well learning his trade. to equate it to today an apprentice would be an Intern and well a Journeymen would be an employee however like now a journeyman may be as skilled as a master would now be a person who opens his own business or shop. now to my counter-argument. First the guild smith. depending on how many swordsmiths are working in the city a guild member could only make say 5 blades a month. By blade I mean the shop could only make the blade. also the smith could not make the blade outside the guild's guidelines as you can not make the blade outside the guidelines and one of those guidelines could be you cant go for another quench if the blade was a bit soft. Also back then you really did not have rulers, pencils, protractors, tape measures, paper, and more. what you had was tradition, string, soapstone or chalk, and your guild regulation sword measured stick. Which is why swords do not change often till the renaissance. also the swordsmith can not make the fittings. he likely can't even grind his own blades as that is the polisher's job. basically, the guild smith can not really make the best blade possible as a guild goal was to do the least amount of work for the most prophet. However, you could be assured that the blades would be of similar quality. It's why middle ages pieces are all ill-fitted. (Check out the tods workshop channel for more on this last comment) also, the guild just filled several barrels and then shipped them around Europe. The village smith has much higher quality guidelines to meet do to if a hatchet blade snapped the owner will come looking for you. also its likely the smithy used by the local blacksmith had been owned by the same family and each success was built upon. also the local blacksmith has far more skills then the swordsmith as his family has made every piece of metal in that village from the nails to the blades. I am a self-taught bladesmith however I am also now taking an introduction to the blacksmithing course and the first thing I learned after shop safety was how to draw out a piece of steel and how to tapper it. So a village blacksmith could make a sword that tappers properly and would likely know how to temper the steel. so if a local smith makes a sword and that sword broke, the owner of the sword or their relatives would come looking for you and would likely kill you, that really makes for great quality control. well a guild smith did not have this level of quality control because the smith can hide behind the guild. also if you can make a scythe you can make a sword as both really need to be tapered. however modern smiths are frankly far more skilled then any smith of the passed as we can make every piece of a blade from to make a complete item.
I'm interested to learn why the Romans used a horizontal boss grip instead of a vertical one. And to paraphrase the Mayor of London, "I'm not sure why a man needs a shirt with more than one knife on it." :)
16 seconds in and I must comment about your shirt: I fully expected there to be a messer at the bottom (I know they're all technically "messers" by translation, but you know what I mean)
Eh, I'm a firm believer that shields were actually lighter than what's accepted. An aspis, for example, being 7.5-10 kg makes absolutely zero sense to me. A shield's strength doesn't come from the amount of wood you put into it, it's from the hides.
This 15th century pavise (www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/23333) weighs 7.57 kg. It’s very similar in size to a scutum found in Syria (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scutum_(shield)) They are very similar in height, however the pavise is wider with a shallower curvature. That said, there are examples of large shields which are much lighter. This one from Borneo (www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/31818) only weighs 2 kg. It all depends on the construction method, and what kind of threats you need your shield to protect against.
This simply can not be the way to hold scutum.The leather strap's hade to be part of it,i seen one option(theory) that seame most convincing,please,if you have any arheological data or detailed description,i would apriciate link or book...anything :-) so i can check it.
I’d argue that from a range consideration (stand off capability in modern terms) that the pilum was the primary component of the Roman weapon system, with the scutum/Gladius as the secondary. Great video!
Ah! The Barn Doors of Doom! I love 'em! O.K., the plural of scutum is scutums. This is English. We can do that. I had no idea that they were horizontal gripped. I never thought about it. O.K., I guess with have three three things to balance, Stopping ability, Size and Weight. The larger or stopinger it is, the heavier it will be. The lighter it is, you have to sacrifice size or stoppingess or both. If I were to pretend to be a mathamatician, I'd propose a formula W= S*A, that is, weight equals sturdiness times area. Which just a way to thing about it, not an actual useful formula. Partly because if it's lighter, you can use it more actively. But mostly because some of this is subjective or dependent on what materials the thing is made of. O.K., I'm babbling now, so I'll knock it off.
we know that shields have historically been found in both versions. with leather edges and brass ones. If you want, you can order a version with brass edges, it is no problem :d
Is the shield distally tapered? If it isn't it will not preform well in combat and be more of a boat anchor than a historical one. It will not be very informative about Roman combat. From fragments we know that they were distally tapered. If you have fought with a non tapered shield and one that is you will understand the difference very very quickly. Tapered shields are nimble and easier to maneuver. It is also a fallacy that a shield with a taper will not hold up to combat. Mine has a1/4inch center and a 1/8 inch edge and has been going for over 2 years as have my sparing partners shields. our shields weigh from 10-11lbs (4.5-5kg) and are probably still heavier than historical ones based on the evidence. I understand a steel umbo is probably for safety but historically this is incorrect. We have never found a steel curved scutum umbo that I know of. They were cupric alloy and highly decorated much like the umbo found in the river Tyne. We have several fragments with very similar decoration as the Tyne umbo. Hilary and John Travis wrote a great book that is very accessible and inexpensive which reviews all of the finds and fragments as well as revisiting some of the reports previously written on finds like the Doncaster shield and the Dura Europos shields. The book is called Roman Shields by Hillary and John Travis. ISBN-10: 1445655233 ISBN-13: 978-1445655239
A scutum and gladius also makes for a handy home defense weapon combo for when you're either not allowed to have guns, don't have one, or are afraid of over penetration. As long as the intruder is unarmed, or at least not armed with a gun, you can sit yourself in a hall or doorway with the scutum in front and they're going to have a hard time getting past you and every time they get close, you just stab out from the side or overhead with the gladius.
Imagine the burglars expression, when he meets a roman soldier in the hallway :D
@@propagandalf877 I am, and I'm grinning like an idiot.
Or just get some of the modern plastic shield. + stick.
@@jintsuubest9331 Not as fun or sturdy as a well made scutum and a stick is no replacement for a gladius, or any sword for that matter. The problem with a stick is that it's best for striking and in a hallway with a scutum, or even a modern riot shield, you're going to be largely limited to overhead swings.
@@GuitarsRockForever Yeah, most of europe too. You can use weapons only if the intruder is also armed and you had virtually no other option, for instance, if it was a choice between fighting the intruder or jumping out of the 3rd floor window carrying your twin babies.
We need a "Bob Ross" shield painting tutorial!😝
I love that shield.
Bob Ross painting videos are so funny😂😂😂
YES. “look we’ve got here, another happy little province.”
Painting happy little shields...
Matt will have to grow a 'fro before he can do that!
I just realized that Your Gladius looks like a wooden black pepper grinder with a blade attached to it...
lol
Definitely a sword... with taste.
Perfect for spicing up your pasta after a hard days of marching and fighting barbarians. Just turn your sword point up and crank the hilt a few times over your carbonara.
@@Aalienik And worst case in combat, crank it and pepper your opponent!
Shhhhhhh! Metatron can hear you!
Metatron senses a disturbance...
"Better be nothing but good points" he mutters to himself and goes back to sleep.
Never skip shield arm day!
The roman hype intensifies - keep them coming!
OI! You got a loicense for that shirt?!
There is a passage on the pilum in "The [unofficial] Legionnaires handbook" where the author describes how useless the pilum was compared to a spear or javelin, which as we all know have many useful utilitarian applications. The passage concludes with saying that the pilum is even more deadly because having carried the "formerly useless thing" for the better part of a decade the legionary will probably hurl it with even more force.
Lol 😂
And yet it could slice through barbarian shields like a knife through hot mantequilla…
@@archsys307 Only until the keltoi ect, began to encounter the roman legions on the battlefield more frequently, and thus learned to adapt.
As the owner of a ludus gladiatorum i appreciate your content more than ever! Thumbs up!
Damn.. All these people on youtube get to do what they love for a living.. I'm sore and tired and MUST be back at the metal shop for 7 am. The struggle is real..
PUT THE SCHOLAGLADIATORIA LOGO ON THERE
Just imagine if he painted it black or red, with a gilded logo...might almost make it too good to use.
I just started graduate studies at Yale... had the opportunity to look at one of the few remaining scutum from a dig at Dura Europos for my archaeology class. It was some cool stuff!
Careful now, The Metatron might call his legions to battle...
Onward!
@@metatronyt Have at them! lol
@@metatronyt did the scutum "dictate their entire way of fighting," as Matt just said of the (I assume Republican and early Empire) Romans?
i just realized how curved the scutum is it looks like half your body is in a can. Talk about good protection on the battlefield.
very cool shield. I hope you're going to paint it and show us too.
I'm sooo getting one of these, painted like Caesar's XIII in HBO's Rome... Thank you. If I'd had one in my LARPing days, people would have thought I was even more OP than I was with my homemade tower shield. At once point I decided "nuts with being a Paladin." I traded my "sub class" of White Mage/Cleric for Black Mage/Wizard. Instead of healing myself and wearing armor and using all the Warrior gear (my "primary" class), I dropped my sword and just nuked people with one hand while in max armor hiding behind a big shield. I hate that even an RPG like Skyrim doesn't let this work as awesome as it did for me. I was the only person ever to win without using any weapons lolz. Even Mages and Clerics relied on their staffs, knives (throwable), hammers, etc.
What you say about arms strength is true! As a teen, my two arms developed different proportions of slow and fast twitch muscle from so much LARPing with a bastard sword and tower shield. Plus a machete in my dominant hand since before the Age of Reason! It took years of weight lifting, martial arts, yoga, etc plus conscious left-hand practice to kinda even it out. To this day tho, when I have to hold something heavy up long beyond comfort, I can feel my old "tower shield power" in my left arm, and lo can my right arm give such a smite! I can hit harder with a stick in my dominant hand than people who more than double my strength in most measurable ways (i'm only 170 very lean pounds), sometimes even using 2 hands, even when they use decent body mechanics (like a Cold Steel ABSOLUTE PROOF test cutter. one guy IS pretty good tho, the skinniest one who tests rapiers etc). I can only imagine what growing up with a bokken in old school Japan would have been like...
Damn now I want to see Matt's Legion, the reality show where you train to be a Roman soldier -- and hope to make the cut! :)
One question i would have lived to have answered is “how much does the scutum actually weigh? You mention it’s not as light as many would imagine but nothing specific (my apologies if you did I I simply missed this but if info. Many thanks for this and all your fantastic videos (I’m delighted to be one of your Patreon supporters for this very reason!)
how close to authentic is that reproduction scutum in terms of sturdiness? were ancient scutum meant to last for significant engagements, and if so, what made them stronger than the reproduction you are showing us?
First of all, wonderful video. As always. I particularly liked that you pointed out that shields are, for the most part, carried rather than used in war. That said, though, is there an optimal way of gripping a shield in actual combat? If so, does it depend on the type of shield?
Nice! Looking forward to these Roman centric videos!
Excited for the videos to come!
I literally have a Scutum arriving in the mail today to hang on my wall, as well as a Gladius. (The Scutum is the Indian made version, and the Gladius isn't sharpened, but they're just for display)
Just found your channel, and I'm really enjoying your videos. Do you know where I could find any information on how authentic scutums were made?
I think out of all the shields I've ever seen that that is my favorite. I can see why the Romans would would have used it.
Definitely. I can imagine the length & wraparound style would give a semblance of comfort when a horde of barbarians is coming towards your line.
They are rather heavy though. I prefer my Viking centergrip.
I prefer the Republican rounded ones but yes.
Nice to see more ancient stuff. I'm not such a fan of the Romans but most are, so I can understand the focus. :)
What is the weight of the scutum? When Marcus Junkelmann's group made their tests in the 1980s (marching over the Alps and such) their replicas were rather heavy, almost 10 kg, althought they mostly had the more protective late republican/early imperial longer oval shields. Other replicas, in my opinion perhaps more accurate, I know of are in the 6 to 7 kg range.
Woot! Can't wait to use something like this at my club with our Gladius and Spatha
Is this documentary with about 8 peoples you trained for a week, using Vegetius ? I remember seeing a documentary like that on the french TV, and the leanring curve was very impressive !
G'day Matt. How much do you reckon the shield weighs?
Depends how you use it. It is definitely not for active shield use like a Viking shield.
@@PalleRasmussen The boss was used to push opponents off balance. Some scuta had protective metal trims around the perimeter which could be used to jam an opponent also. But as he says, it was a weapons system designed to work hand in glove with the gladius.
@@thomaszaccone3960 I know how to use it, I just prefer the far more active use of Viking shields.
@@PalleRasmussen Different combat styles. Viking shields better for individual combat, Romab shields better for mass troop formations.
@@thomaszaccone3960 mostly true yes. Though an accurate Viking shield is fairly large and can be used effectively in formation. They do leave the lower leg and feet exposed though, but body mechanics makes those areas hardest to hit, and if you hold the shield out from your body, that angle is closed. It is very effective if an entire line does it, but- like the Scutum, quite tiring.
It's very impressive.
nice shields from fabulous cactus
Look how happy he is!
Hope to see more roman stuff.
Would it be possible, to link this BBC-Material, if they are available somewhere? am very interested in watching it.
Was that the evolution of the Rambo Knife on your shirt?
That shield looks really rubust, I like the raw hide lining, think i might add that to future shields i make. Great video.
What do you think of the idea that the horizontal grip also aids punching with the bottom edge of the scutum to open the opponent for the gladius?
Great video as always, Matt. I do have a question in regard to the scutum. A few months ago, I had the opportunity to handle one, and I noticed one thing: when you hold your arm with the scutum outstretched (for instance to punch the boss into an opponent), the shield will almost always tilt up and toward your shoulder. I found this quite annoying - as it tilted, it exposed parts of my body that were previously covered, and the upper part of the shield always fell onto my shoulder, which was uncomfortable. I asked myself whether this was intentional and, if so, why.
I would be curious as to what you think.
Keep up the good work!
@schoolagladtoria really like vids can you do a weapon tutorial on how to use wtc talwar, spear and other melee weapons wtc combos or strikes
I like the Rambo knifes shirt. Thx 😃
Is that a shirt full of Rambo’s knives?
Matt, can you teach us your scutum weight in kg?
I know it is not a global measure but, I wanted to know the shield weight you will be carrying in your videos about scout from now on.
Thank you.
Hello, I would like to know what materials the escutum is made of (wood, leather) and an apology for my poor English. Greetings from Galicia
Upvoted, but I'm a little frustrated. You told us three or four times about how it was heavy but not how heavy!
Also, that's some nice rawhide on the rim but what is the main shield itself made of? That looks like a steel boss- is that historically accurate?
I mean, come on- how is an armor geek supposed to properly geek out on a piece of armor with so little information to go on?
It is made of birch plywod, boss is historically acurate. Weight around 7,9 kg
@@fabricacacti3920 Thank you! Now I see why he called it "heavy" especially for one's off arm. I get *why* it's heavy too now.
You mentioned that they are heavy.
So how long can an average soldier keep using this effectively in battle?
I don't remember the exact details, but the Romans used a very effective system of rotating out the front line of their formations while in close contact, so the guy fighting in the very front was only there for a min or less then switched out and went to the very back to rest. So if all went to plan each member only had to fight 1 min out of 10 -15, not bad at all even with very heavy gear.
Yes. I have heard that as well.
I just wanted to know how long can it be used effectively.
That could give us an insight into how long did each "shift" last.
And were there ever battles were the line was so shallow that soldiers did not have enough time to fully rest?
@@Seallussus the method for rotating troops than the Roman's had is modern speculation. We know that the Roman's rotated Maniples through the battle to keep fresh troops in the front... but the exact mechanics of this are unknown. Later cohorts mention keeping fresh troops at the front but again, no details of how they did it.
What we see today are basically "best guesses." It might be they actually waited for the lines to back away from each other to switch people (or units) around and attack the enemy while they where still catching their breath. Or maybe there was some other rotating system in place, we probably will never know exactly for sure.
Also remember the Roman army changes A LOT over the years.
@dernwine,
OK. Thanks.
I still want to know how long can it be used effectively.
Rotation or no rotation.
If all scutums were of the same size I believe the height of the soldier or more specifically the arm length can be an important factor, i guess with a short arm you can stretch it to a resting position without losing much protection.
Giving the long curvature of the scutum you can press the shield a little against the body so the weight doesn't feel so much. Also in a shield array you can put the shield on the ground and lean behind, bur that just for a static defensive position.
I wonder since you said that they would need to train both arms ( weapon and shield ) did they have a form of weight training or weight lifting to help build the muscles or did they just carry the shield around to work up the strength in the arm?
They did use wicker and wood training shields and rudii , wooden gladii ,both of which weighed twice as much as the real thing according to Vegatius.
@@jeffreyroot7346 thanks for the info, it makes sense they would use a heavier version for training and becoming used to carrying the sword and shield
A Gladius looks like a slightly longer version of an Arkansas Toothpick.
Great new toys!
Question. How practical is Scutum with an Axe?
Why did the romans abandon the scutum (rectangular)? The late imperial romans seemed to use oblong large shields instead.
What I was wondering the other day. Why doesnt the standard pole run through a scutum? Then at least the Signifer can have a shield on front of them as they carry the standard for the unit.
But Roman army training weapons (sword and shield) were always heavier than their regular counter parts because they were also meant to increase muscle and stamina of a recruit.
You're quoting a late Roman source - Vegetius. We don't actually know if that practice was widespread and surviving practice swords are actually lighter than the real weapons!
@@scholagladiatoria Thanks for replying. Nah, I got this from that illustrated book, "The Roman Army" by Peter Connolly. Very nice book but not much text = perfect for kids and young teens.
About the shirt: judging from the knives on display i could come up with what the R and the V stand for, but C A? Shouldn't it be L B? At least that would be it if i am right. (and the 3rd form above should have some blue light next to it :-D )
Where do I go on their Facebook page to buy a blank scutum I’ve been looking for one for a while.
Nice!
A training version? Is this thing going to be used by you in the near future?
I wondered why the scutum handle is horizontal and never vertical?
What is the wooden object to the left of your flag in the top left corner of the "wall" ? good video sir, thanks.
Looks like a Mere, a greenstone Maori weapon
It is a club, though I don't remember where it's from.
Looks like a Maori war club, which makes sense given his interest in English colonial wars.
its a wahaika tiki maori war club
@@TotallyFictional Thank-you
What are the dimensions of this shield? Very curious on trying to make one
I didn't know scuta just had a one hand grip, for some reason I thought they strapped on the arm.
Talking about Gladius alone, is like talking about how effective a firearm is WITHOUT ammo!
What is that dark hardwood kidney shaped thing hanging on the garage door over your left shoulder Matt?
It looks like a Mere or Patu, New Zealand Maori traditional weapons(and lots more dangerous than they look).
Made of wood, or
sometimes Pounamu(greenstone) in cases of particular artifice.
I would love it if you did a video on Guilds of the high middle ages and renaissance. cause I say the village blacksmith who is not a member of a guild would be able to make a better sword than a smith of the swordmakers guild because a village blacksmith is not confined to a guild charter.
The village smith has no quality guidelines to meet, and is probably not trained to make a sword. Meanwhile, the guild certified swordsmith does nothing but make swords, has to meet quality guidelines, and is extensively trained. He also has a large shop with apprentices, and visiting journeymen smiths.
@@sambakich7494 Before I start my counter-argument you got the definition of Journeymen wrong as the word comes from the French word journée which translates to day. so Rank of Journeymen just meant you were able to make a day's wage. an apprentice's parents would pay a master craftsman well learning his trade. to equate it to today an apprentice would be an Intern and well a Journeymen would be an employee however like now a journeyman may be as skilled as a master would now be a person who opens his own business or shop. now to my counter-argument.
First the guild smith. depending on how many swordsmiths are working in the city a guild member could only make say 5 blades a month. By blade I mean the shop could only make the blade. also the smith could not make the blade outside the guild's guidelines as you can not make the blade outside the guidelines and one of those guidelines could be you cant go for another quench if the blade was a bit soft. Also back then you really did not have rulers, pencils, protractors, tape measures, paper, and more. what you had was tradition, string, soapstone or chalk, and your guild regulation sword measured stick. Which is why swords do not change often till the renaissance.
also the swordsmith can not make the fittings. he likely can't even grind his own blades as that is the polisher's job. basically, the guild smith can not really make the best blade possible as a guild goal was to do the least amount of work for the most prophet. However, you could be assured that the blades would be of similar quality. It's why middle ages pieces are all ill-fitted. (Check out the tods workshop channel for more on this last comment) also, the guild just filled several barrels and then shipped them around Europe.
The village smith has much higher quality guidelines to meet do to if a hatchet blade snapped the owner will come looking for you. also its likely the smithy used by the local blacksmith had been owned by the same family and each success was built upon. also the local blacksmith has far more skills then the swordsmith as his family has made every piece of metal in that village from the nails to the blades. I am a self-taught bladesmith however I am also now taking an introduction to the blacksmithing course and the first thing I learned after shop safety was how to draw out a piece of steel and how to tapper it. So a village blacksmith could make a sword that tappers properly and would likely know how to temper the steel. so if a local smith makes a sword and that sword broke, the owner of the sword or their relatives would come looking for you and would likely kill you, that really makes for great quality control. well a guild smith did not have this level of quality control because the smith can hide behind the guild. also if you can make a scythe you can make a sword as both really need to be tapered.
however modern smiths are frankly far more skilled then any smith of the passed as we can make every piece of a blade from to make a complete item.
What training swords are you going to use with them?
Are you going to paint the shield?
'' Oi ! 'Ave you got a loicense for that shirt then mate ?! ''
You could dual Lindy Beige with his oval shield now perhaps?
With the direction of the grip it looks like you are meant to heft the shield like you would lift a piece of furniture.
You called the scutum a Roman wepon used with a gladius. Does that mean that the Legions were the first to use combined...arms?
The Hellenes might object...
I'm interested to learn why the Romans used a horizontal boss grip instead of a vertical one.
And to paraphrase the Mayor of London, "I'm not sure why a man needs a shirt with more than one knife on it." :)
you going to paint it?
hi
what and the price of this shield?
16 seconds in and I must comment about your shirt:
I fully expected there to be a messer at the bottom
(I know they're all technically "messers" by translation, but you know what I mean)
I'm pretty sure those are the Rambo knives.
@@BassicBear Ah! I thought it was just knives that were getting bigger. Thanks for pointing that out :)
Eh, I'm a firm believer that shields were actually lighter than what's accepted. An aspis, for example, being 7.5-10 kg makes absolutely zero sense to me. A shield's strength doesn't come from the amount of wood you put into it, it's from the hides.
This 15th century pavise (www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/23333) weighs 7.57 kg. It’s very similar in size to a scutum found in Syria (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scutum_(shield)) They are very similar in height, however the pavise is wider with a shallower curvature.
That said, there are examples of large shields which are much lighter. This one from Borneo (www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/31818) only weighs 2 kg. It all depends on the construction method, and what kind of threats you need your shield to protect against.
Now Matt will also need a hoplon and a kopis...... ;)
I have one of those Indian Deepeka Scuta. I wish i had enough for a Fabrica Cacti Scutum.
do you know how much they cost? Contact us: D
@@fabricacacti3920
Are you contactable by Email? Dont have a Facebook.
@@ArmouredProductions mail@fabricacacti.pl
Thanks!
Why were the Scutum and Gladius replaced by the Spatha and the round shield later ?
Changing fighting styles, different tactics.
Who are the Indian manufacturers? If I were to purchase a Scutum, it'd probably mostly be decorative tbh.
Ahh, the scrotu...er, SCUTUM!
What’s the weight of scuta?
Oops, they forgot to paint them red
The shield is what Matt wanted :)
That gladius is an evil looking thing. Also, somebody needs to make Matt a falx.
What does it weigh?
This simply can not be the way to hold scutum.The leather strap's hade to be part of it,i seen one option(theory) that seame most convincing,please,if you have any arheological data or detailed description,i would apriciate link or book...anything :-) so i can check it.
That T shirt!! .......my eyes!! 🤪
I’d argue that from a range consideration (stand off capability in modern terms) that the pilum was the primary component of the Roman weapon system, with the scutum/Gladius as the secondary. Great video!
"Fabrica Cacti" Cactus Factory?
Jeff Liggett for cactus fencing
Yay!!!
Ah! The Barn Doors of Doom! I love 'em!
O.K., the plural of scutum is scutums. This is English. We can do that.
I had no idea that they were horizontal gripped. I never thought about it.
O.K., I guess with have three three things to balance, Stopping ability, Size and Weight. The larger or stopinger it is, the heavier it will be. The lighter it is, you have to sacrifice size or stoppingess or both. If I were to pretend to be a mathamatician, I'd propose a formula W= S*A, that is, weight equals sturdiness times area. Which just a way to thing about it, not an actual useful formula. Partly because if it's lighter, you can use it more actively. But mostly because some of this is subjective or dependent on what materials the thing is made of.
O.K., I'm babbling now, so I'll knock it off.
0:31 its whats on the inside that counts
Paint it!!!
Roman sputum, your last resource.
Shame you didn't get brass edging like the originals :(
we know that shields have historically been found in both versions. with leather edges and brass ones. If you want, you can order a version with brass edges, it is no problem :d
FYI: twitter.com/medievalhistory/status/1182090548733186054 - across the pond a professor has recruited some students into tetsudo drills
I wonder how the Roman Scutum can stand against a English longbow...?
Matt - you say that is is heavy but you don't give the weight...
Is the shield distally tapered? If it isn't it will not preform well in combat and be more of a boat anchor than a historical one. It will not be very informative about Roman combat. From fragments we know that they were distally tapered. If you have fought with a non tapered shield and one that is you will understand the difference very very quickly. Tapered shields are nimble and easier to maneuver. It is also a fallacy that a shield with a taper will not hold up to combat. Mine has a1/4inch center and a 1/8 inch edge and has been going for over 2 years as have my sparing partners shields. our shields weigh from 10-11lbs (4.5-5kg) and are probably still heavier than historical ones based on the evidence. I understand a steel umbo is probably for safety but historically this is incorrect. We have never found a steel curved scutum umbo that I know of. They were cupric alloy and highly decorated much like the umbo found in the river Tyne. We have several fragments with very similar decoration as the Tyne umbo. Hilary and John Travis wrote a great book that is very accessible and inexpensive which reviews all of the finds and fragments as well as revisiting some of the reports previously written on finds like the Doncaster shield and the Dura Europos shields. The book is called Roman Shields by Hillary and John Travis. ISBN-10: 1445655233 ISBN-13: 978-1445655239
OMG Matt Easton made an edit in a video. What is next, comments out of context?
It’s just crying out to be painted...
pretty shure plural would be scutii altho my latin grammar is rusty
Scutum is 2nd declension neuter, scuta is correct
It would be Scutii if the singular was "Scutus"
@@dernwine thank you very much! i learned something today. thats what i love about this comunity
That's a big curved scutum.