Weapons and armament

(1 Sam. 17:54). Among the number of military, and partly also hunting, weapons of the Hebrews in general were the following: a) the shield (1 Kings 10:17; Ezek. 26:8) was undoubtedly one of the most ancient articles of armament, since a direct reference to it is already made in the Book of Genesis (15:1) and often in other places. As a defensive weapon, shields are mentioned for the first time in the song of the prophetess Deborah (Judg. 5:8). They were used to deflect the enemy’s blows.

In form, shields were partly oval and partly round; they were made sometimes of wood (Ezek. 39:9), or of willow wicker covered with leather, tin, or bronze; sometimes they were made of thick ox-hide or camel-hide, abundantly smeared with oil (2 Sam. 1:21). In exceptional cases shields were made of bronze and gold, or were covered with thin plates of these metals (1 Sam. 17:6; 1 Kings 10:16, 17). However, it must be thought that these shields were used more for adornment than for use in war, and were carried only by the chief commanders on the field of battle.

On such metal shields various figures were often engraved. Homer’s splendid description of the shield of Achilles is, without doubt, well known to all readers of the classical writers. On the march they were carried on the shoulder, and in battle were fastened to the left arm with a strap. b) The large shield (1 Sam. 17:6) was, in size and weight, larger than the ordinary shield and is mentioned by the sacred writers in connection with the heavy weapons (1 Kings 10:16, 17), whereas the ordinary shield is spoken of alongside light weapons, such as, for example, the sword, spear, and the like.

In form it probably resembled the large Roman shield, which was sometimes 4 feet long and 2½ feet wide, and was so made as to cover the entire body of the warrior. To lose this shield in battle was considered the utmost dishonor. The loss of a shield in Sparta was considered a criminal offense.