561:
shields would be held in such a way that they presented a shield wall to all sides. The men in the back ranks would place their shields over their heads to protect the formation from above, balancing the shields on their helmets, overlapping them. If necessary, the legionaries on the sides and rear of the formation could stand sideways or backwards with shields held as the front rows, so as to protect the formation's sides and rear; this reduced the speed and mobility of the formation, but offered consistent defensive strength against opposing infantry and excellent protection against arrows and other missile attacks.
853:
33:
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1340:
45:
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was used to protect soldiers from all types of missiles. It could be formed by immobile troops and troops on the march. The primary drawback to the formation was that, because of its density, the men found it more difficult to fight in hand-to-hand combat and because the men were required to move in
595:
This testudo and the way in which it is formed are as follows. The
Baggage animals, the light-armed troops, and the cavalry are placed in the center of the army. The heavy-armed troops who use the oblong, curved, cylindrical shields are drawn up around the outside, making a rectangular figure, and,
579:
Then the shield-bearers wheeled round and enclosed the light-armed troops within their ranks, dropped down to one knee, and held their shields out as a defensive barrier. The men behind them held their shields over the heads of the first rank, while the third rank did the same for the second rank.
560:
formation, the men would align their shields to form a packed formation covered with shields on the front and top. The first row of men, possibly excluding the men on the flanks, would hold their shields from about the height of their shins to their eyes, so as to cover the formation's front. The
649:
For if decided to lock shields for the purpose of avoiding the arrows by the closeness of their array, the were upon them with a rush, striking down some, and at least scattering the others; and if they extended their rank to avoid this, they would be struck with the
596:
facing outward and holding their arms at the ready, they enclose the rest. The others, who have flat shields, form a compact body in the center and raise their shields over the heads of all the others so that nothing but shields can be seen in every part of the
600:
alike and all the men by the density of the formation are under shelter from missiles. Indeed, it is so marvelously strong that men can walk upon it and whenever they come to a narrow ravine, even horses and vehicles can be driven over
988:
The Life of
Mahomet and History of Islam to the Era of the Hegira: With Introductory Chapters on the Original Sources for the Biography of Mahomet and on the Pre-Islamite History of Arabia
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The resulting shape, which is a remarkable sight, looks very like a roof, and is the surest protection against arrows, which just glance off it.
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as they advanced to the city walls, where they undermined and collapsed a tower, creating a breach for their allies to enter the city.
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1143:
1249:
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669:. During the attack the troops advanced under the rampart "holding their shields above their heads in close 'tortoise' formation".
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Rance, Philip, āThe Fulcum, the Late Roman and
Byzantine Testudo: the Germanization of Roman Infantry Tactics?ā in
196:
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406:
61:
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304:
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721:
619:", it played a great role in the tactics employed by the Byzantines against their eastern enemies.
489:
213:
32:
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694:
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1029:
The Empire of the Mahdi: The Rise of the
Fatimids (Translated from the German by Michael Bonner)
1450:
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352:
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1062:"The Battle For Ukraine Is Being Fought Using Ancient Military Tactics"
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during battles, particularly when they were the attacking force during
117:
1390:
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207:
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761:
545:
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630:
also gives an account of a Roman shield array being defeated by
1221:
591:
when describing the campaign of Mark Antony in 36 BC:
1417:
1375:
1347:
1269:
740:in 949, by Lotharingian defenders at the siege of
932:A modern reconstruction of Roman soldiers in the
657:recorded its use during the siege of the city of
647:
593:
577:
1490:Infantry units and formations of ancient Rome
1233:
507:
8:
27:Defensive shield wall used by Roman Legions
1240:
1226:
1218:
991:. Smith, Elder & Company. p. 145.
887:Mesopotamian military strategy and tactics
514:
500:
296:
266:
192:
84:
39:
760:formation was again employed by medieval
1013:
1001:
31:
1060:Ingersoll, Geoffrey (22 January 2014).
903:
814:
195:
131:
87:
60:
922:. Spartacus Educational Publishers Ltd
36:Roman soldiers in "tortoise" formation
7:
916:"Military Tactics of the Roman Army"
909:
907:
567:describes this formation as used by
1032:. Leiden: E.J. Brill. p. 110.
1162:Greek, Roman and Byzantine Studies
1154:Roman Battle Tactics 109BC - AD313
615:unison, speed was sacrificed. As "
25:
768:or "crawler". It was employed by
1464:
1338:
1205:
1101:Warfare in Tenth-Century Germany
975:. Book III. The Fate of Cremona.
866:
851:
832:
817:
708:during the siege of 800ā801, by
483:
43:
914:Simkin, John (September 1997).
780:), where he used it to protect
540:formation commonly used by the
843:formation in a Roman military
807:tactic to protect themselves.
681:was a common formation in the
526:In ancient Roman warfare, the
1:
1081:, ed. Loeb Classical Library
378:Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes
1439:Frontiers and fortifications
292:Frontiers and fortifications
1367:Decorations and punishments
1188:ed. Loeb Classical Library
1099:Bachrach, David S. (2012).
704:to advance on the walls of
104:Decorations and punishments
1521:
1164:44 (2004) pp. 265ā326
985:Muir, Sir William (1861).
858:17th century depiction by
1500:Roman tactical formations
1461:
1336:
1186:Roman History Book 49, 30
1079:Roman History Book 49, 30
826:Column of Marcus Aurelius
1254:military of ancient Rome
407:Claustra Alpium Iuliarum
392:DanubeāIllerāRhine Limes
62:Military of ancient Rome
1471:Ancient Rome portal
955:, ed. Robin Waterfield
626:was not invincible, as
573:his invasion of Parthia
490:Ancient Rome portal
1173:, ed. Robin Waterfield
1126:Bradbury, Jim (1992).
892:Roman infantry tactics
750:Raymond IV of Toulouse
667:Marcus Antonius Primus
652:
603:
582:
37:
1377:Technological history
953:Plutarch, Roman Lives
936:(tortoise) formation.
920:Spartacus Educational
803:riot police used the
770:Abu Abdallah al-Shi'i
689:'s forces during the
373:Neckar-Odenwald Limes
188:Technological history
35:
1419:Strategy and tactics
1385:Military engineering
1284:Unit types and ranks
1214:at Wikimedia Commons
1026:Halm, Heinz (1996).
772:in the 906 siege of
764:, who called it the
724:during the siege of
720:soldiers under king
693:in 630, also by the
363:Lower Germanic Limes
262:Strategy and tactics
197:Military engineering
99:Unit types and ranks
1505:Tactical formations
1132:Woodbridge, Suffolk
1004:, pp. 155ā156.
951:, c. 45, quoted in
722:Arnulf of Carinthia
358:Lauter Valley Limes
1271:Structural history
1212:Testudo formations
1128:The Medieval Siege
874:2005 Belize unrest
744:in 984 and by the
534:tortoise formation
459:Limes Tripolitanus
80:Structural history
38:
18:Tortoise formation
1477:
1476:
1432:Testudo formation
1210:Media related to
1180:978-0-19-282502-5
1118:978-1-84383-762-6
961:978-0-19-282502-5
860:Wenceslaus Hollar
665:under command of
661:by the troops of
643:Battle of Carrhae
606:Tactical analysis
587:writes about the
524:
523:
475:
474:
466:Limes Mauretaniae
321:Limes Britannicus
282:
281:
246:Political history
236:
235:
156:
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16:(Redirected from
1512:
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1468:
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1427:Infantry tactics
1402:Triumphal arches
1349:Campaign history
1342:
1341:
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1070:
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1066:Business Insider
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736:at the siege of
685:, being used by
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347:Limes Germanicus
297:
274:Infantry tactics
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223:Triumphal arches
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174:Wars and battles
166:Campaign history
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776:(in modern-day
754:siege of Nicaea
716:in 885ā886, by
702:Louis the Pious
675:
608:
554:
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443:Limes Sarmatiae
437:Anastasian Wall
415:Pannonian Limes
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1200:External links
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1145:978-0851153575
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714:siege of Paris
691:Siege of Ta'if
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1194:0-674-99091-9
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1184:Dio Cassius,
1183:
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1174:
1172:
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1165:
1163:
1158:
1156:(Osprey 2007)
1155:
1152:Cowan, Ross,
1151:
1147:
1141:
1137:
1136:Boydell Press
1133:
1129:
1124:
1120:
1114:
1110:
1109:Boydell Press
1106:
1102:
1097:
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1088:
1087:0-674-99091-9
1084:
1080:
1077:Dio Cassius,
1076:
1075:
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1063:
1056:
1053:
1041:
1039:90-04-10056-3
1035:
1031:
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1022:
1019:
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1014:Bradbury 1992
1010:
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1002:Bachrach 2012
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771:
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763:
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756:in 1097. The
755:
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747:
743:
739:
735:
731:
730:Lotharingians
727:
723:
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718:East Frankish
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639:horse archers
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542:Roman legions
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432:Trajan's Wall
430:
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427:Limes Moesiae
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399:Norican Limes
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1093:Bibliography
1078:
1065:
1055:
1043:. Retrieved
1028:
1021:
1009:
997:
987:
980:
972:
967:
952:
948:
943:
933:
931:
924:. Retrieved
919:
840:
804:
799:in 2014 the
791:protests in
786:
765:
757:
700:soldiers of
678:
676:
653:
648:
623:
621:
611:
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527:
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345:
319:
303:
206:
29:
1294:Auxiliaries
1171:Roman Lives
1045:4 September
845:reenactment
787:During the
752:during the
728:in 894, by
712:during the
695:Carolingian
683:Middle Ages
673:Later usage
635:cataphracts
628:Cassius Dio
585:Cassius Dio
569:Mark Antony
538:shield wall
337:Saxon Shore
1484:Categories
1328:Congiarium
1169:Plutarch,
1105:Woodbridge
947:Plutarch:
898:References
789:Euromaidan
575:in 36 BC:
368:Main Limes
973:Histories
971:Tacitus,
824:From the
748:of count
746:Crusaders
706:Barcelona
663:Vespasian
552:Formation
353:Alb Limes
1316:Admirals
1299:Generals
1250:a series
1248:Part of
881:See also
698:Frankish
687:Muhammad
632:Parthian
617:phoulkon
565:Plutarch
148:Admirals
123:Generals
54:a series
52:Part of
1362:Battles
1289:Legions
1252:on the
934:testudo
841:testudo
811:Gallery
805:testudo
797:Ukraine
782:sappers
778:Algeria
766:dabbÄba
758:testudo
726:Bergamo
710:Vikings
679:testudo
659:Cremona
655:Tacitus
650:arrows.
641:at the
624:testudo
612:testudo
598:phalanx
589:testudo
571:during
558:testudo
556:In the
529:testudo
118:Auxilia
109:Legions
1391:Castra
1311:Fleets
1262:AD 476
1258:753 BC
1192:
1178:
1142:
1115:
1085:
1036:
959:
949:Antony
926:4 June
801:Berkut
742:Verdun
738:Senlis
732:under
546:sieges
251:
208:Castra
143:Fleets
70:AD 476
66:753 BC
56:on the
1445:Limes
1407:Roads
774:Tobna
762:Arabs
311:Walls
305:Limes
228:Roads
1357:Wars
1306:Navy
1279:Army
1190:ISBN
1176:ISBN
1140:ISBN
1113:ISBN
1083:ISBN
1047:2020
1034:ISBN
957:ISBN
928:2021
839:The
793:Kyiv
677:The
637:and
622:The
610:The
133:Navy
89:Army
1323:Pay
601:it.
532:or
1486::
1260:ā
1138:.
1134::
1130:.
1111:.
1107::
1103:.
1064:.
930:.
918:.
906:^
795:,
645::
548:.
68:ā
1241:e
1234:t
1227:v
1148:.
1121:.
1068:.
1049:.
515:e
508:t
501:v
20:)
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