Roman shield, commonly called the Scutum, was worn by the heavy-armed infantry and adapted to the form of the human body by being made either oval or of the shape of a door which it also resembled in being made of wood or wicker-work.

The Roman shield was the main form of body protection of the Roman soldiers. It served the purpose to deflect missiles targeted at the soldiers, as well as protect them from the impact of hand held weapons yielded at them. The large size of the shields allowed the soldiers to form a "tustudo'' or shield wall that could protect them during an advance.

The trusty shield (scutum) was built mainly from flat strips of wood that were laid at right angles to each other. The scutum was not only a defensive tool, it was a weapon in it's own right. The central raised portion in the middle was forged from one piece iron or bronze and was not only used as protectiion for the left hand, but also as a weapon. The raised boss would be thrust into the enemy's face or chest, causing severe injury and disabling them. Then the sword was thrust forward into the opponent's body.