Scutum ( shield ) Scutum ( ; plural " scuta " ) is the Latin word for " " shield " " , although it has in modern times come to be specifically associated with the rectangular , semi - cylindrical body shield carried by Roman legionaries . History . In the days of Ancient Rome , Roman soldiers often bore round shields called " aspidai " ( ἄσπιδαι ) by the Greeks , in the fashion of Greek hoplites . The oval " scutum " is depicted on the Altar of Domitius Ahenobarbus in Rome , the Aemilius Paullus monument at Delphi , and there is an actual example found at Kasr el - Harit in Egypt . Gradually the " scutum " evolved into the rectangular ( or sub - rectangular ) type of the early Roman Empire . By the end of the 3rd century the rectangular " scutum " seems to have disappeared . Fourth century archaeological finds ( especially from the fortress of Dura - Europos ) indicate the subsequent use of oval or round shields which were not semi - cylindrical , but were either dished ( bowl - shaped ) or flat . Roman art work from the end of the 3rd century till the end of Antiquity show soldiers wielding oval or round shields . The word " " scutum " " survived the old Roman Empire and entered the military vocabulary of the Byzantine Empire . Even in the 11th century the Byzantines called their armoured soldiers " skutatoi " ( Grk . σκυτατοι ) . Structure . The scutum was a 10 kg large rectangle curved shield made from three sheets of wood glued together and covered with canvas and leather , usually with a spindle shaped boss along the vertical length of the shield . The best surviving example , from Dura - Europos in Syria , was 1 . 06 m ( 42 in ) in height , a chord of 0 . 66 m ( 26 in ) , with a distance around the curve of 0 . 86 m ( 34 in ) , and a thickness of 5 mm to 6 mm it was well made and extremely sturdy . Advantages and disadvantages . The Scutum is light enough to be held in one hand and its large height and width covered the entire wielder , making him very unlikely to get hit by missile fire and in hand - to - hand combat . The metal boss , or umbo , in the center of the scutum also made it an auxiliary punching weapon as well . Its composite construction meant that early versions of the scutum could fail from a heavy cutting or piercing blow which was experienced in the Roman Campaigns against Carthage and Dacia where the Falx and Falcata could easily penetrate and rip through the scutum . The effects of these weapons prompted design changes that made the scutum more resilient such as thicker planks and metal edges . When compared to the earlier aspis which it replaced , the aspis was heavier and provided less protective coverage than the scutum but was much more durable . Combat uses . 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 Suetonius recorded an anecdote of the heroic centurion Cassius Scaeva , who fought under Caesar in the Battle of Dyrrachium : The Roman writer Cassius Dio in his " Roman History " described Roman against Roman in the Battle of Philippi : " For a long time there was pushing of shield against shield and thrusting with the sword , as they were at first cautiously looking for a chance to wound others without being wounded themselves . " The shape of the " scutum " allowed packed formations of legionaries to overlap their shields to provide an effective barrier against missiles . The most novel ( and specialized , for it afforded negligible protection against other attacks ) use was the " testudo " ( Latin for " tortoise " ) , which added legionnaires holding shields from above to protect against descending missiles ( such as arrows or objects thrown by defenders on walls ) . Dio gives an account of a " testudo " put to good use by Marc Antony ' s men while on campaign in Armenia : However the " testudo " was not invincible , as Dio also gives an account of a Roman shield array being defeated by Parthian knights and horse archers at the Battle of Carrhae : Special uses . Cassius Dio describes " scuta " being used to aid an ambush : Dio also notes the use of the " scutum " as a tool of psychological warfare during the capture of Syracuse : In 27 BC the emperor Augustus was awarded a golden shield by the Senate for his part in ending the civil war and ' restoring ' the Republic , according to the " Res Gestae Divi Augusti " . The shield , the " Res Gestae " says , was hung outside the Curia Julia , serving as a symbol of the Princeps ' " valour , clemency , justice and piety " . The 5th century writer Vegetius added that " scuta " helped in identification : However since Vegetius was not a military man and his works ( for example " De Re Militari " ) freely , anachronistically mixed the present with the dim and distant past , we must take his descriptions with a grain of salt . Shields in Vegetius ' day were used to distinguish between units , but , contrary to his claim here , there is little evidence that this was true of the earlier empire . Other uses of the word . The name Scutum has been adopted as one of the 88 modern constellation s , and by UK luxury clothing maker Aquascutum , which became famous in the 19th century for its waterproof menswear . Hence the name , which in Latin means " " water shield ' " .