1C BC-Republican Rome Scutum Shields

The scutum, from the Latin term for “shield” was the iconic large Roman shield used by the soldiers in a Roman legion.
These early oval form replaced the circular shields used by most military formations in the Mediterranean regions.
A scutum was typically red in color, as red was the color of the Roman god of war, Mars. It was decorated with an iconic image such as a winged eagle to represent victory and lightning bolts, the scuta (plural for scutum) provided essential protection and were a vital reason for the military successes of ancient Rome.