What colour to paint Hastatii shields?

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Hello hive mind!
7 days.
What colour to do Hastatii shields?
Go on, you know you want too...

Do I keep them a separate colour to the Principes and Triarii, or do I be ultra annoying and have the entire army in the same colours?

All input received (I might even be grateful for some)!

[mollinary]

Other. Paint each legion with a separate colour.

[d_Guy]

Would you prefer that people have some knowledge of what you are talking about before they vote? 

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Nah, you f they know, they'll answer...
For the rest, their is google!

[FierceKitty]

I'll only put in my opinion that it's inconceivable that they would have had undecorated shields, given later practice and the overwhelming tendency in the contemporary Mediterranean world to paint designs on them.

[Ithoriel]

Vegetius wrote:

"Lest the soldiers in the confusion of battle should be separated from their comrades, every cohort had its shields painted in a manner peculiar to itself. The name of each soldier was also written on his shield, together with the number of the cohort and century to which he belonged."

The Dura Europos shield is the closest we have to a complete real legionary shield. Opinion seems to be that the reconstruction of the damaged original and it's paintwork are as good as we're likely to get for Imperial legions.



The winged lightning bolts beloved of film, TV and figure manufacturers are no more likely than lions, boars and the like as emblems.

So the answer is we don't know anything about half of what went on in the Roman army and we can't be sure about the other half so pick a colour scheme you like and go for it.

[d_Guy]

Giving what I've learned so far and if I were actually doing this period, I might select chrome on black. I always liked my Dad's 1949 Plymouth sedan! But in the end gold on red like the movies.


         (Did not actually vote - don't want to skew the data)

[Bodvoc]

Other: purely because a mate of mine has done a mix of deep red shields and off white shields in a unit which looks really effective when you see them all on the table.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

         (Did not actually vote - don't want to skew the data)

Skew away my friend!

[fsn]

There is a certain attraction to having the three ranks red, white and green, thus distinguishing the three parts of the legion and also tipping a hat to the Italian flag.

[FierceKitty]

I have always understood that the distinctive Italian national battlefield flag was pure white?

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

I have always understood that the distinctive Italian national battlefield flag was pure white?

No that's the Frogs, in the 18th century. White field with heraldic silver (ie White) cross.

As to shields, look to Baggage Train or Veni Vedi Vicie (SP)

IanS

[FierceKitty]

Lyon passant argent in chief on a field argent; in fesse, three bezants argent.

Motto: Je me rends, moi!

[toxicpixie]

Orange. Up Pompey!

Slightly early, mind.

Up Proto-Pompey!

In for me, in for me, you've all got it in for me!

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Lyon passant argent in chief on a field argent; in fesse, three bezants argent.

Motto: Je me rends, moi!

Lion passing money in butterfly, three silver bezants. Motto: I surrender!
Had to google Bezant!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bezant