I. Greece
Shields were primarily used to protect soldiers in battle; as a crater from Mycenae (c. 1200 BC) vividly shows, shields were already part of the equipment of warriors in the Mycenaean period. Homer mentions a round shield (ἀσπίς/aspís) which was embossed with sheet bronze and strengthened with the skins of oxen (Cattle) (Hom. Il. 12,294-297; 13,156-166). In the middle there was a shield boss (ὀμφαλός/omphalós; Hom. Il. 13,192). A strap (τελαμών/telamṓn; Hom. Od. 11,609-614) enabled the shield to be carried witho…