"The Back of Republican Roman shields?" Topic

So, I'm painting some Hastati and Velites and I don't know how to paint the back of the shield. Was it bare wood? Wrapped in plain leather? Painted? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

IMHO,it was just plain wood! Mike Adams

No-one knows the colour of the front, let alone the back. Plain wood is as good a guess as any !

Why would you not paint it in the same primary colour as the front? Possibly inscribed with devotions to their gods of choice also?

Alan

Some type of paint/varnish would be appropriate if for no other reason than to preserve the wood while in storage.

@Alanmac: It is easy enough to turn that around and say, "why would you?" If I knew the answer I wouldn't ask the question. Do you have anything to support this or is it your thought on the matter?

I'm not sure about Republican Roman shields, but earlier Greek shields had painted interiors and surviving shields from the 3rd Century AD city of Dura Europas had elaborately painted interiors. Shields before and after the Roman Republic had painted interiors, but whether the Roman armies of that era had them is unknown, but they might well have had them.

I paint the back of Roman shields the same colour as the front. I presume that the paint was a protective coating for the wood as well as decorative.

INSTRVCTIONS:

I. Look Fierce

II. Cast Pilum

III. Stab Enemy with Sword

IV. Repeat Step III as Necessary

Freely translated from the Latin.

Ron

Doing Ceasarian Romans at the moment and I've gone for painted same colour as front, seems logical to me, shields are expensive items so anything that helps preserve them would have been done. As for so many things no absolute evidence just common practical sense is the only giude.
L

Pictures of naked girls?

I wouldn't go for wood. The Fayum shield – which may have been Roman or a copy of their stuff – had a lambs' wool felt covering front and back.

There is also literary evidence that the name and unit was painted on the back.

I saw just recently that there is evidence for the back of shields being a brownish red, but I can't find where I read it now, so don't take it as gospel!

"Funnily enough,while we must struggle for clues on the colour of the fronts of shields, there is fairly ample archaeological and monumental evidence for the backs of many shields being painted a dull faded red."

Phil Barker, Armies and Enemies of Imp. Rome, page 86

That's the one Bilsonius. Good find.

Cheers,
Aaron

I spray the shields, both front & back, with a rust-red primer prior to painting (which I do before attaching them to the mini) and it gives, to my mind, a very satisfactory finish.

Thanks to all.

Red, based on Mr Barkers observations.

I think on the inside of the shield reads MADE IN CHINA Just a little humor! Mike Adams

Maybe the Judean Peoples Front left nasty notes like "Hey bug nose"

@79thPA, That wasn't a skit at you my friend. The reasons are many, as described on posts. It does look better and if I was to live a shield in the field I think I would treat it as a best friend. I don't subscribe to this idea that "okay this is a wooden shield and I must convey that message in my painting".
Best
Alan

I painted the backsides of my legionaries' shields matt black. Since we're talking 15mm figures who hold their scuta close to their bodies, it's easily enough interpreted simply as shadow.

Burnt Siena is a good colour for the backs of legionary shields.

Probably some preservative colour. Pitch, iron oxide, linseed oil,…