▁adopted ▁the ▁bu ck ler , ▁giving ▁rise ▁to ▁the ▁term ▁" sw ash bu ck ler ". ▁The ▁bu ck ler ▁is ▁a ▁small ▁round ▁shield , ▁typically ▁between ▁ 8 ▁and ▁ 1 6   in ches ▁( 2 0 – 4 0   cm ) ▁in ▁diameter . ▁The ▁bu ck ler ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁very ▁few ▁types ▁of ▁shield ▁that ▁were ▁usually ▁made ▁of ▁metal . ▁Small ▁and ▁light , ▁the ▁bu ck ler ▁was ▁easily ▁carried ▁by ▁being ▁hung ▁from ▁a ▁bel t ; ▁it ▁gave ▁little ▁protection ▁from ▁miss iles ▁and ▁was ▁reserved ▁for ▁hand - to - hand ▁combat ▁where ▁it ▁served ▁both ▁for ▁protection ▁and ▁off ence . ▁The ▁bu ck ler ' s ▁use ▁began ▁in ▁the ▁Middle ▁A ges ▁and ▁continued ▁well ▁into ▁the ▁ 1 6 th ▁century . ▁ ▁In ▁Italy , ▁the ▁t arga , ▁par ma ▁and ▁rot ella ▁were ▁used ▁by ▁common ▁people , ▁f enc ers ▁and ▁even ▁kn ights . ▁The ▁development ▁of ▁plate ▁arm our ▁made ▁shield s ▁less ▁and ▁less ▁common ▁as ▁it ▁elimin ated ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁a ▁shield . ▁Light ly ▁arm oured ▁troops ▁continued ▁to ▁use ▁shield s ▁after ▁men - at - ar ms ▁and ▁kn ights ▁ceased ▁to ▁use ▁them . ▁Sh ield s ▁continued ▁in ▁use ▁even ▁after ▁gun pow der ▁power ed ▁weapons ▁made ▁them ▁essentially ▁ob sole te ▁on ▁the ▁battle field . ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century , ▁the ▁Scottish ▁cl ans ▁used