Late Roman oval shields

[WillieB]

Most of the Late Roman (4th, 5th C) wargame figures are depicted with fairly big oval shieds.
When would the transition to round shields have occured especially in Roman Britain and more importantly why?
Was it easier to construct a round shield? Did the 'invading' Saxons influence the shield design?
Wouldn't an oval shield offer more protection in a shieldwall? Or was it perhaps the weight?

Thanks for any help!

Willie

[Erpingham]

When would the transition to round shields have occured especially in Roman Britain and more importantly why?

Willie

I'm not sure we know enough about Late Roman and post Roman shields in Britain to answer this.  We currently assume that early Saxons carried smaller round shields than normal among the late Romans - there is some archaeological evidence for this.  However, I don't think there is a lot of evidence of post-Roman shields - they may already have been smaller and round, or a smaller oval.  So it's difficult to put a timeline on a transition we can't be sure took place.  And we can be fairly certain that the oval shield continued to exist well into the early medieval period , even if it is in a minority in terms of depictions e.g. http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/8520/lotharingen.jpg

[WillieB]

Thanks very much Anthony!

[aligern]

A round shield has the advantage of having the highest surface area or its weight and being the easiest shape to move as your central hand grip is always at the centre of gravity. Thus an oval shield, protecting more of the body is good if you are fairly static and a round shield if you are mobile.
Roman auxiliary spearmen had round shields even in the Early Imperial period so all they had to do was move from tile shaped to the oval shape and we do not know exactly when. It is possible that some legions aways had oval shields.  The likely time of movement is the mid third century and, given that the army was expanding and moving from expensive labour intensive weaponry to cheaper kit e.g the Intercisa style helmet it may be that the oval relatively flat shield is just cheaper than the multiple ply squared and concave one.
Roy

[valentinianvictor]

There is some evidence that the Emperor's guards had round shields, as shown on the Constantius II missorium- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Missorium_Kerch.jpg and on the pen & ink drawings of the now destroyed Column of Arcadius- http://www.livius.org/a/turkey/istanbul/columns/column_arcadius_1.JPG

[aligern]

The honorius diptych  and the Stilicho  diptych both have large oval shield and are. Early fifth century.
Roy

[valentinianvictor]

The honorius diptych  and the Stilicho  diptych both have large oval shield and are. Early fifth century.
Roy

Indeed so Roy, but I'm wondering if the round shields were carried by the Domesticii Pedites, whilst the Oval Shields were carried by the Domesticii Equites?