Are there any real examples of this shield existing? The shied that was used by the Spartan hoplites?
I'm not sure about Medusa head shields being used by Hoplites, but in Renaissance Europe, there are examples of round shields bearing a Medusa head. They are much later than what you're looking for, but worth mentioning.
These date from the mid 16th century and belonged to Charles V.
[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]
These date from the mid 16th century and belonged to Charles V.
[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]
can't move. . . joints . . . . getting. . . . stiff. . . . UUUGH. . . . .
My brother has been obsessed with recreating one of these shields in steel the traditional way. I hope he does it. he has the skills.
| Quote: |
| Are there any real examples of this shield existing? |
I don't know of any complete hoplite shields surviving with medusa head designs on them. But there are some surviving metal applique medusa heads. The designs which hoplites carried on their shields changed over time from geometric patterns; to animals, fabulous beasts and miscellaneous symbols (some often having an almost heraldic significance) finally to letters of the Greek alphabet representing different city states.
[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]
The medusa shields posted by Chad are the nicest examples I have ever seen. They were made by Filippo and Francesco Negroli in 1541 and 1543. I saw the second one Chad listed at the Metropolitan Museum of arts a couple of years ago. Absolutely stunning. The detail is incredible. They each weight slightly over 10 lbs.
Eyal,
Eyal,
They likely existed. It's unfair to discount something just because an example hasn't survived. Virtually nothing has, relative to what was made.
| Jojo Zerach wrote: |
| They likely existed. It's unfair to discount something just because an example hasn't survived. Virtually nothing has, relative to what was made. |
Fair or unfair isn't relevant. At the end of the day, it's just good science. We can only determine what we know to have existed. The absence of evidence cannot allow us to assume that something might have existed. That entire argument is just supposition and does nothing to answer the question of, "Did it exist?"
We must discount the possibility of things never existing based on no surviving samples. Often the answer is, "There is no evidence to support it existed." We have to be content with such answers. It's just the way it is.
Page 1 of 1
You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum
All contents © Copyright 2003-2006 myArmoury.com — All rights reserved
Discussion forums powered by phpBB © The phpBB Group
Switch to the Full-featured Version of the forum
Discussion forums powered by phpBB © The phpBB Group
Switch to the Full-featured Version of the forum