warrior to be borne home on it as upon a bier; others were rhomboidal,[962] or semilunar, or shaped like an ivy-leaf. But whatever may have been their figure, there always projected from the centre of the external face a large boss, with a smaller one, generally pointed, on the middle of it. This the soldiers dashed in the countenances of the enemy. Within, two bars, stretching from rim to rim, and crossing each other like the letter X, gave the warrior, who passed his left arm behind them, greater power over his defence, while a smaller handle, on the fore part of the shield, received his grasp.[963] Occasionally, the place of these bars was supplied by metallic or wooden handles, exactly of a size to receive the arm; and, by means of a leathern strap, the buckler, when marching, was usually suspended on the shoulder.[964] In time of peace both the shield and the helmet were laid up, each in its appropriate case.[965] Besides the manufacturers of arms, who supplied states with large orders, there were numerous armourers on a smaller scale,[966] whose shops exhibited a rich and varied assortment of shields, helmets, and every kind of weapon. ----- Footnote 954: Poll. i. 134. Footnote 955: Winkel. Hist. de l’Art, i. 276. Footnote 956: Sch. Aristoph. Acharn. 548. Footnote 957: Epaminondas had a dragon on his shield as a device. Pausan. viii. 11. 8. Footnote 958: Sept. Cont. Theb. 367. 447. 471. Footnote 959: The device of Demosthenes was, “To Good Fortune.” Plut. Demosth. § 20. Footnote 960: Xenoph. Hellen. iv. 4. 10. It has been conjectured, that the Arcadian allies of Epaminondas painted the letter Θ on their shields, that they might appear to be transformed into Thebans. Schneid. ad Xen. Hellen. vii. 5. 20. The Lacedæmonians painted the letter Λ on their shields. Meurs. Miscell. Lacon. i. 18. Footnote 961: Schol. Aristoph. Vesp. 18. Footnote 962: Petit. de Amazon. xxv. 169. Footnote 963: Cf. Sch. Aristoph. Pac. 645. Acharn. 1087. From certain ancient monuments it appears, that a small thin cushion ran along behind the arm on the interior of the shield. Giton. Il Costume, tav. 39. Cf. Zoëga, Bassi Rilievi, tav. 47, for the figure of Capaneus advancing his shield as if in combat. Footnote 964: Sch. Aristoph. Eq. 846. 855. Footnote 965: Sch. Aristoph. Acharn. 548. Footnote 966: Schol. Aristoph. Pac. 439. -----