Page 42 - (DK) Smithsinian - Military History: The Definitive Visual Guide to the Objects of Warfare

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CE ENEMIES OF ROME
O 500 The expansion of Rome’s influence from a small settlement in Bronze wings

central Italy to an imperial power that ruled a huge empire brought its
armies face to face with a wide range of foes. Although the individual
ORDS T equipment of most enemy warriors may have been superb, their training ▼ BRONZE SAMNITE Made of three convex bronze
and organization was almost always inferior to that of the Roman army.
disks, this breastplate would have
BREASTPLATE
However, the Roman infantry did struggle against the mounted warriors of
been matched by a similar piece
Date 4th century bce
Persia and the Hunnish archers, and by the time the Franks, the Ostrogoths,
to protect the back. Such armor
Origin Central Italy
was worn by Rome’s opponents,
and other Germanic groups poured into the empire from the 4th century ce
Material Bronze
AND SW onward, the Roman army was too weakened to resist them. fastening armor the Samnite tribes, in three wars
in central Italy from 343–290bce.
Rivet holes for
TS
CHARIO

Red glass
enamel studs
Convex
bronze disk

Decorative bronze
metalwork on hilt

◀ BATTERSEA SHIELD ▲ CELTIC DAGGER The intricate spiral-pattern
Date 350–50bce Date 250–50bce decoration on this Celtic
dagger indicates that it was
Origin England Origin England
probably intended for funerary
1
Weight 7 ⁄2lb (3.4kg) Length 11in (27.8cm) or display purposes, rather
Diameter 14in (35.7cm) than combat. Its sharply
tapering blade was typical
This ornate decorative bronze of everyday weapons.
cover to a wooden shield,
found in the Thames River
at Battersea, London, was
probably for parade use. It Silver-covered scabbard
is made of four sheets of
bronze riveted together.