Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Scutum

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

SCU'TUM (θυρεός). The large oblong shield generally adopted by the Roman infantry instead of the round buckler (clipeus), at the period when the military ceased to serve without pay. It was about 4 feet long by 2½ wide; formed out of boards, like a door (whence the Greek terms θύρα and θυρεός), firmly joined together and covered over with coarse cloth, under an outer coating of raw hide, attached and strengthened round the edges by a metal rim. The men of each legion had their shields painted of different colour, and charged with distinctive symbols, as is exhibited by the illustration (Scutum/1.1) representing three scuta, as they stand upon the ground in the column of Trajan, distinguished severally by the image of a thunderbolt, of a wreath, and the same bolt with a pair of wings. Liv. i. 43. viii. 8. Plin. H. N. xvi. 77. Virg. Aen. viii. 662. Veg. Mil. ii. 18. Polyb. ii. 30. 3. vi. 23. 2.

• 
  Scutum/1.1