Caetra | |
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![]() High relief from Osuna (Seville, Spain) showing an Iberian warrior with caetra (2nd or 1st Century BC) | |
Type | Shield |
Place of origin | Iberian Peninsula as Caetra |
Service history | |
In service | Classical antiquity |
Used by | Lusitanians, Celtberians, Gallaecian, Celts and Iberians |
Wars | Punic Wars, Celtiberian Wars, Lusitanian War and Sertorian War |
Specifications | |
Mass | 3–5 kg (6.6–11.0 lb) |
Width | 30–90 cm (12–35 in) |
Caetra was the shield used by Iberian, Celtiberian, Gallaecian and Lusitanian warriors. The shield was circular shaped with a diameter between 30 cm to 90 cm. It was tied to the warrior's body with ropes or leather strips that passed over the shoulder and that gave great mobility to fight both on foot and on horseback. The shapes and decorations of the shields had variations in their metal, wood or leather protection. Warriors that carried this shield were usually light infantry called caetratus (pl. Caetrati).
This 30 to 90 cm (1ft to 3ft) diameter light round shield was constructed from wood sections attached by two metal bars of bronze, copper or iron; it was then covered with leather. Although the caetra was commonly round, it took on many shapes and sizes. Size varied from 90 cm (3ft) to perhaps 30 cm (1ft) in diameter. All shields had metal fittings and ornaments on the face with an iron boss in the middle, added to deflect sword blows as well as arrows and spears. In combat, the shield was not only effective at blocking, but was also an extremely proficient secondary weapon. Iberian troops used the boss to punch opponents. On the move these compact bucklers could be hung on a belt or across the back by a strap, so as not to be burdensome to the soldier on the march or forging for food, but still handy for when the enemy was close. Cavalrymen would usually carry the caetra so as to not over encumber their mounts or limit their horsemanship.
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The production of these kinds of helmets of Italic tradition decreased in quality because of the demands of equipping huge armies, especially during civil wars...The bad quality of these helmets is recorded by the sources describing how sometimes they were covered by wicker protections, like those of Pompeius' soldiers during the siege of Dyrrachium in 48 BC, which were seriously damaged by the missiles of Caesar's slingers and archers.
It would appear that armour quality suffered at times when mass production methods were being used to meet the increased demand ..." and "...the reduced size curiasses would also have been quicker and cheaper to produce, which may have been a deciding factor at times of financial crisis, or where large bodies of men were required to be mobilized at short notice, possibly reflected in the poor-quality, mass produced iron helmets of Imperial Italic type C, as found, for example, in the River Po at Cremona, associated with the Civil Wars of AD 69 AD; Russell Robinson, 1975, 67
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The Caetrati were a type of light infantry in ancient Iberia who often fought as skirmishers. They were armed with a caetra shield, swords, and javelins.
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