"Scythian Infantry Shields?" Topic

Working up some AX for a Scythian army.

Any references online to possible colors and what designs (if any) might have been used?

My Osprey of course focuses on cavalry even though noting that in some battles infantry outnumbered horse by two to one.

Appreciate any assistance.

Probably plain coloured leather, or wicker depending on the construction. There's no indication of patterns on the few infantry I've seen in art.

But if you want some, you could copy the animal designs from the gold plaques seen on more expensive shields – link

Leather might be dyed, as the Scythians did like bright colours. Shields of round leather bucklers, square wicker shields, crescent wicker shields, and, from Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars, some sort of figure eight shields probably wicker or leather.

For Steppe Hordes the Scythians could put a large number of infantry into the field, and some number or another of Persian mercenary troops were Scythian foot.

Xyston sells "ornate" Scythian shields in 15mm. Might provide some ideas at least.

Thanks for the ideas.

These are OG15 with ovals rimmed with a horizontal reinforce at the middle.

I had thought of painting the shields some basic solid colors if there were no references to patterns.

I am probably putting too much variety into the tunics and trews, but as noted the references do state the Scyths liked colors.

Gurkhan, will probably do a few of the cav shields with some of those devices. Not sure about the current OG15 lot – I have some Donningtons coming and I like them a bit more.

You may be interested in a publication by the very sharp Berkeley Greek numismatist/ archaeologist Osmund Bopearachchi's recent work on the Armor and Arms of the Indo-Scythians According to their Coinage and Archaeological Data, available for free download at his Academia page at link

Hope this helps!

Looks interesting.

Guess I'll have to get an account.

Thanks.