Spartan Life Size Historical Shield

Since time immemorial, Spartan warriors stand as the acknowledged ultimate soldiers, devoutly pursuing excellence in the military arts. Their example is cited in war manuals and novels of historical fiction, in songs and poetry, and even in the media (the movie “300” comes to mind). Even in today’s modern and technologically-advanced times, the name “Sparta” invokes images of beautifully-arranged armies standing in perfect formation, exuding strength and discipline.

This Spartan Historical Shield was inspired by the shields used at the Battle of Thermopylae, in which an army of 300 Spartans, together with their allies, held position against 250,000 soldiers (some allege that the actual number was a million) of the Persian army in 480 BC. The battle was a tactical triumph and ensured that this particular design has become a symbol of perseverance and victory against almost insurmountable odds.

The Historical Shield is life-sized (24 inches in diameter) and as true to detail as possible. The shield, also known as an aspis, is typical of what a Spartan solider would train with as well as carry into battle. Much more than a spear or sword, the Spartan bonded with his shield, which was so important in the military culture that the loss of a shield was a sign of disgrace and equated with desertion. According to Plutarch, Spartan mothers would often send their sons into battle with the command, “[Return] With it or [carried] on it!”: losing their shield was practically unforgiveable.

The shield was designed to protect a man from the neck down to the thigh, and part of the man on the shield bearer’s left, but it was also used as an offensive weapon: Spartans commonly used its weight and the thin edge to “bash” their opponents. The ancient shields were quite heavy, having been constructed out of wood under a layer of bronze, and would have been extremely effective as a blunt weapon. Small wonder, then, that it was valued so much more than the purely offensive weapons that made up a Spartan’s uniform!

This Historical shield has been adapted for the use of today’s aspiring warriors, and is built of cast aluminum with a rubberized backing. It has a thick wooden handle with which to be carried, and is worn using an adjustable nylon strap. Like those that served as its inspiration, the shield carries the Greek letter Lambda as its insignia, a symbol of the ancient Spartan homeland, Lacedaemon. It also has been distressed to simulate a shield with battle scars and gouges for a replica with a very authentic feel. Complete your Spartan costume with the King Leonidas Historical Replica Spartan Sword, the Spartan Grecian Historical Brass Armor Helmet and the Spear of Sparta 300 Spear for a look that will have your enemies—real or imagined!—quaking in their sandals as they face a reincarnation of those who were arguably the great warriors in history!