A ''parma'' or ''parmula'' (the diminutive of ''parma'') was a type of round shield used by the Roman

army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

, especially during the later period of imperial history since

3rd century The 3rd century was the period from 201 ( CCI) to 300 ( CCC) Anno Domini (AD) or Common Era (CE) in the Julian calendar.. In this century, the Roman Empire saw a crisis, starting with the assassination of the Roman Emperor Severus Alexander ...

Characteristics

The ''parma'' was about 36 inches (91 cm) across (or less) and had iron in its frame, making it a very effective piece of armour. ''Parmae'' had handles and shield bosses (''umbones''). The ''parma'' was used by legionnaires in the early republican period of Rome's history, by the lowest class division of the army— the '' velites''. Their equipment consisted of a ''parma'', javelin, sword and helmet. Later, the ''parma'' was replaced by the body-length '' scutum'' as ''velites'' were phased out with the

Marian reforms The Marian reforms were reforms of the ancient Roman army implemented in 107 BC by the statesman Gaius Marius, for whom they were later named. The reforms originated as a reaction to the military and logistical stagnation of the Roman Republic in ...

War use

It was used mainly by auxiliary infantry and cavalry, with the

legionaries The Roman legionary (in Latin ''legionarius'', plural ''legionarii'') was a professional heavy infantryman of the Roman army after the Marian reforms. These soldiers would conquer and defend the territories of ancient Rome during the late Repu ...

preferring the heavier but more protective ''scutum'', during earlier periods. It was used also by '' signiferi'' (standard bearers). In

Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; traditional dates 15 October 7021 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He composed three of the most famous poems in Latin literature: t ...

's ''

Aeneid The ''Aeneid'' ( ; la, Aenē̆is or ) is a Latin Epic poetry, epic poem, written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Troy, Trojan who fled the Trojan_War#Sack_of_Troy, fall of Troy and travelled to ...

'', the ''parma'' is cited as a weapon utilised by the Teucrians in defence against the Greeks ( Battle of Troy), and later against the Rutulians.

Other uses

The ''parmula'' was the shield used by thraex gladiators. It was also used by the Roman ''vexilliferi'' or flag bearers that carried the standard that marked the cohort, as well as by most early auxiliaries. In the

Pyrrhic dance The Pyrrhichios or Pyrrhike dance ("Pyrrhic dance"; Ancient Greek: πυρρίχιος or πυρρίχη, but often misspelled as πυρρίχειος or πυρήχειος) was the best known war dance of the Greeks. It was probably of Dorian ori ...

it was raised above the head and struck with a sword so as to emit a loud ringing noise.

References

External links

Parma
(Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities at

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) Roman shields Roman auxiliaries Late Roman military {{AncientRome-mil-stub

Characteristics

War use

Other uses

See also

References

External links