Costume -- Great Britain -- History; Great Britain -- History; Great Britain -- History -- Pictorial works
(Fig. 1): A Roman galley (from Pompeii). (Fig. 2): A Roman
Eagle. This was mounted on a pole and carried before the
Legion. The soldiers rallied round it and fought for its
honour. It corresponded with the regimental flags of our
time. (Fig. 3): A Roman sword. This was remarkable for the
shortness of its blade. It was suspended from a shoulder
belt passing over the left shoulder, so that the sword
hung on the _right_ side, a custom which was possible on
account of the shortness of the blade. The length was about
twenty-two inches. The blade was straight, of uniform width,
double-edged, and cut at the end in an obtuse angle to form
the point. (Fig. 4): A short sword or sword dagger. (Fig. 5):
Scabbard of the same. (Fig. 6): A Roman Centurion, with an
oval shield, such as was generally carried by horse soldiers.
The body was protected by a metal cuirass formed of back and
breast plates, strapped together at the sides, and fastened by
broad belts passing over the shoulders. At the lower part of
the cuirass were two bands of leather, one showing underneath
the other, the edges of both being tagged or scalloped.
Below this double border there was a kind of leather skirt,
reaching nearly to the knee. A military cloak or mantle was
picturesquely draped over the shoulder. Metal greaves covered
the shins, and sandals, which were often highly ornamented,
covered the feet. (Fig. 7): A Roman laminated cuirass worn
by the heavily armed troops. It consisted of lames or plates
of steel encircling the body, with curved lames passing over
the shoulders, and several lames hanging vertically over the
lower part of the trunk. They were sewn or rivetted to a
tightly-fitting leather garment. (Figs. 8, 9 and 10): Roman
helmets, all fitted with neck pieces to guard the neck--Figs.
8 and 9 with cheek pieces, hinged and fastening beneath the
chin. (Fig. 11): Another form of shield, differing entirely
from that in Fig. 6. “It is elongated and convex oblong,
somewhat resembling a hollow watercourse tile.” It was carried
by the legionaries, and was about 2 ft. 6 in. long. It was
strengthened, at the top and bottom only, or all round, with
additional bands of metal. With this form of shield, the
well-known testudo or tortoise formation was made. (Fig. 12):
A Roman sandal of leather.]
SAXON WEAPONS.
The Saxon arms were the spear, the axe, the sword, the dagger, the
long-bow, and the arrow.
The defensive armour consisted of helmet, shield, and byrnie.
The _Spear_ was the chief weapon of the Saxons. It was of two forms:
(1) 9 or 10 ft. long, for use against cavalry or as a cavalry weapon,
and (2) about 6 ft. long, for use as a javelin or throwing spear. When
the latter was used, it was generally carried in pairs.
The spear, or, rather, the spear-head is always found in Saxon graves,
as it was buried with its owner. The shaft was generally of ash.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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