Caetra was the shield used by
Iberian,
Celtiberian,
Gallaecian and
Lusitanian warriors. The
shield
A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry or projectiles such as arrows, by means of a ...
was circular shaped with a diameter between 30 cm to 90 cm. It was tied to the warrior's body with ropes or leather strips that passed over the shoulder and that gave great mobility to fight both on foot and on horseback. The shapes and decorations of the shields had variations in their metal, wood or leather protection.
Warriors that carried this shield were usually light infantry called
caetratus (pl. Caetrati).
Description
This 30 to 90 cm (1ft to 3ft) diameter light round shield was constructed from wood sections attached by two metal bars of
bronze
Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...
,
copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...
or
iron
Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...
; it was then covered with leather. Although the caetra was commonly round, it took on many shapes and sizes. Size varied from 90 cm (3ft) to perhaps 30 cm (1ft) in diameter. All shields had metal fittings and ornaments on the face with an iron boss in the middle, added to deflect sword blows as well as arrows and spears. In combat, the shield was not only effective at blocking, but was also an extremely proficient secondary weapon. Iberian troops used the boss to punch opponents. On the move these compact
buckler
A buckler (French ''bouclier'' 'shield', from Old French ''bocle, boucle'' 'boss') is a small shield, up to 45 cm (up to 18 in) in diameter, gripped in the fist with a central handle behind the boss. While being used in Europe since an ...
s could be hung on a belt or across the back by a strap, so as not to be burdensome to the soldier on the march or forging for food, but still handy for when the enemy was close.
Cavalrymen
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating a ...
would usually carry the caetra so as to not over encumber their mounts or limit their horsemanship.
See also
*
Lusitanian War
The Lusitanian War, called ''Pyrinos Polemos'' ("the Fiery War") in Greek, was a war of resistance fought by the Lusitanian tribes of Hispania Ulterior against the advancing legions of the Roman Republic from 155 to 139 BC. The Lusitanians revo ...
*
Military history of ancient Rome
The military history of ancient Rome is inseparable from its political system, based from an early date upon competition within the ruling elite. Two consuls were elected each year to head the government of the state, and in the early to mid-Re ...
*
Punic Wars
The Punic Wars were a series of wars between 264 and 146BC fought between Roman Republic, Rome and Ancient Carthage, Carthage. Three conflicts between these states took place on both land and sea across the western Mediterranean region and i ...
*
Celtiberian Wars
The First Celtiberian War (181–179 BC) and Second Celtiberian War (154–151 BC) were two of the three major rebellions by the Celtiberians (a loose alliance of Celtic tribes living in east central Hispania, among which we can name the Pellend ...
References
''Viriathus and the Lusitanian Resistance to Rome 155-139 BC''
External links
* {{URL, https://web.archive.org/web/20100206025545/http://www.artehistoria.jcyl.es/granbat/fichas/1619.htm%7Cwww.artehistoria.jcyl.es on TIA
Ancient history of the Iberian Peninsula
Ancient Rome