SCŪTUM

( θυρεός ), the Roman shield worn by the heavy-armed infantry, instead of being round, like the Greek Clipeus , was adapted to the form of the human body, by being made either oval or of the shape of a door, ( θύρα ), which it also resembled in being made of wood or wicker-work, and from which consequently its Greek name was derived. Polybius says that the dimensions of the scutum were 4 feet by 2½. IMG:6459379820872971714_ill331a.jpg: Scuta, shields. (Bartoli, Arcus Triumph.) SCỸTĂLĒ ( σκυτάλη ) is the name applied to a secret mode of writing, by which the Spartan ephors communicated with their kings and generals when abroad. When a king or general left Sparta, the ephors gave to him a staff of a definite length and thickne , and retained for themselves another of precisely the same size. When they had any communications to make to him, they cut the material upon which they intended to write into the shape of a narrow riband, wound it round their staff, and then wrote upon it the me age which they had to send to him. When the strip of writing material was taken from the staff, nothing but single letters appeared, and in this state the strip was sent to the general, who, after having wound it round his staff, was able to read the communication. SCỸTHAE ( Σκύθαι ). [ Demosii . ]