The rarest finding - Spartan Shield -

[system1988]

Few are the times in which literal sources and archaeology meet- at least in ancient Greek history. A catalogue would be a very interesting outcome of this since we find other things than those we read about. Th reasons are many: Climate factors as well as human factors(what writen works did the Dark Ages decide to leave behind for us to find?). In the end I believe that life itself is the ultimate judge of what remains to be found.

This

http://s1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg6 ... %20Shield/

is the most famous shield (for me at least) that archaeology placed under its care in accordance to Thucydides' words (Book IV 38- 40) as well as Pausanias' "Attica 1,15, 4" who (Pausanias) saw it in the Agora.

Punched through the bronze in large letter is the inscription "The Athenians from Lakedaemonians from Pylos". The fact that the Spartans surrendered their weapons as well as themselves was the "event which caused much more surprise among the Hellenes than anything else that happened in the war". And that was a 30- year war. To be fair however let us remember that the Spartans were ready to face 12.000 Athenians and their allies, if I remember right, while their forces were not more than 440 hoplites.

The shields' sizes are: 97*83 and is now in the Agora Museum in Athens.

Dedicated to the very exceptional historians of pothos.org

[Alexias]

Fascinating, thank you. It almost looks as if there is a modernist scene in the creases in the metal.

I've been having trouble with following links here lately, but this seems to work:
http://s1246.photobucket.com/albums/gg6 ... C02489.jpg