Focal Point A painted shield once wielded by Roman soldiers

What to know: This Roman scutum, the only known surviving example of the shields used by Roman legionaries, was found in Syria at Dura-Europos, once a Roman garrison, and dates to around 256 C.E. (Soon after that date, the city was abandoned and left to be covered by sand and mud, which helped preserve the artifacts left behind.) The shield’s painted surface depicts the Roman iconography of victory: an eagle with a laurel wreath, winged Victories, and a lion.
 

From the expert: “The scutum exemplifies the extraordinary preservation of objects found at Dura-Europos, where the survival of organic material such as wood, leather, and textiles give scholars a rare understanding of life in a military garrison on the Roman frontier,” says Lisa Brody, associate curator of ancient art at the Yale University Art Gallery. “The shield was reconstructed from several fragments, but excavation photographs attest to the authenticity and originality of the remarkable painting and iconography.”