CLĬPĔUS

( ἀσπίς ), the large shield worn by the Greeks and Romans, which was originally of a circular form, and is said to have been first used by Proetus and Acrisius of Argos, and therefore is called clipe us Argolicus , and likened to the sun. But the clipe us is often represented in Roman sculpture of an oblong oval, which makes the distinction between the common buckler and that of Argos. The outer rim was termed ἄντυξ by the Greeks; and in the centre was a projection called ὀμφάλος or umbo , which served as a sort of weapon by itself, or caused the mi iles of the enemy to glance off from the shield. In the Homeric times, the Greeks merely used a leather strap ( τελαμών ) to support the shield, but subsequently a handle ( ὄχανον or ὀχάνη ). The usual form of the clipe us is exhibited in the figure of the Greek warrior on p. 41 . When the census was instituted by Servius Tullius at Rome, the first cla only used the clipe us , and the second were armed with the scutum [ Scutum ]; but after the Roman soldiery received pay, the clipe us was discontinued altogether for the scutum .