Roman Testudo

[Carpathian Wolf]

Now usually when we think of the Roman Testudo we think of this:





Yet when we look at Trajan's column the testudo seems to have a variation:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The variation seems to be that the top shields are "horizontal" in their pattern as opposed to "vertical." Was this a variation on the testudo? Was this the actual way it was done rather than just another way? Could it be a mistake in the column's design?

In any case I think the TC variant would allow the soldiers to be more compact and in fact the top shields could be double layered with the top and bottom edges over lapping over the other. What do you guys think?

[hellheaven1987]

No, there is nothing difference between those two pictures; it is your own eyes problem.

Besides, testudo can be formed by other type of shield, like shield with cycle shape; in fact, it was a widely used tactic not just by Roman, but Gauls and Germans also used that (and later on, Carolingian and their enemy, including Saxon).

[Tiberius Tosi]

It's just the angle of the picture that is throwing you off on Trajan's Column. Testudo in reality was nothing amazing, it began as soldiers putting their shields over their heads to protect from missiles, mostly when sieging. The cohesiveness of it and the ability to effectively move as a group and stay together was a major advantage that the professional Roman Legions had over the Polybian Legions.

[Carpathian Wolf]

Ahhh I get it. It's a side view of the testudo. I thought it was showing the front. The shields "on the bottom" are actually the side rather than the front.

Kind of has a picaso effect.

[DAVIDE]

Now usually when we think of the Roman Testudo we think of this:




Yet when we look at Trajan's column the testudo seems to have a variation:





The variation seems to be that the top shields are "horizontal" in their pattern as opposed to "vertical." Was this a variation on the testudo? Was this the actual way it was done rather than just another way? Could it be a mistake in the column's design?

In any case I think the TC variant would allow the soldiers to be more compact and in fact the top shields could be double layered with the top and bottom edges over lapping over the other. What do you guys think?

no variant at all. If you notice, the fortification's on a rock and legionaries are climbing up to reach the walls. this is why there are vertical shields. It's impossible to keep a regular testudo in that case

[Ebusitanus]

The first reports of shields being used in coordination, as opposed to simply cover your head from missiles raning on you, was when the Testudo was actually used as a platform for other legionaires to climb on top of the formation and so reach the enemy walls better during the Latin conquest of the Peninsula.