SHIELD was a part of the ancient armour designed to ward off the strokes of the sword and all kinds of missiles. Shields were borne on the left arm, and were of different forms and sizes, and they were accordingly designated by different names. The barge circular or oval shield, the invention of which was ascribed to Prcetus and Acrisaus of Argos, was called in Latin dypeas, and in Greek aspis or racos (aasit or eaves). A mailer kind of round shield was called partna; and a smaller kind of oval shield was called pelta. &atm was properly speaking a square or oblong shield. The ancient writers, however, do not always accurately distinguish these different shields, but apply the name which properly denotes a particular kind of shield to shields in general. The shields in the earliest times were made of osiers twisted together or of wood, and this framework was covered with the skins of oxen, of which there were mostly several layers, one over the other, whence Homer frequently calls the shield soven-hided " (irra1345stes). Xenophon (` Anab.,' i. 8) describes the Egyptians, even of his time, as using wooden shields. The whole rim was surrounded with a metal edge. In the centre of the outer or convex side there WWI a projection called the Grnplialox (444Aos), or untbo, iu which some times a spike was placed, which served as a weapon of attack against an enemy who approached too near. The object of the umbo, however, was to make the missiles glance off from the shield. In the inner or
concave side there was a band of metal or leather, which went from rim to rim as a diameter, and under which the arm of the soldier was placed, so that the shield hung on the arm. Around the inner edge there was a number of small thongs, by means of which the shield was managed with the baud. The shields of distinguished persons, even as early as the time of Homer, were covered with metal plates, and fre quently adorned with embossed figures. These figures were often of exquisite workmanship, as may be inferred from the descriptions of the magnificent shields of Achilles and Hercules in Homer and Hesiod. The shields of horsemen were generally smaller than those of the foot soldiers. The use of shields continued from ancient times throughout the middle ages, until they were made useless by the introduction of fire-arms.
The shields of individuals, as well as of whole divisions of an army, had sometimes particular devices relating to memorable events in their history, and these are generally supposed to be the first traces of the armorial bearings of more modern times. The numerous specimens of shields show that the knights of the middle ages were no less fond of adorning them with embossed figures, precious stones, &c., than the ancients. [Ammen.]