, ▁the ▁figure - of - e ight ▁and ▁tower ▁shield ▁offered ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁war rior ' s ▁body ▁a ▁good ▁deal ▁of ▁protection ▁in ▁hand - to - hand ▁combat . ▁The ▁An cient ▁Greek ▁hop l ites ▁used ▁a ▁round , ▁bow l - sh aped ▁wooden ▁shield ▁that ▁was ▁rein for ced ▁with ▁bronze ▁and ▁called ▁an ▁as pis . ▁Another ▁name ▁for ▁this ▁type ▁of ▁shield ▁is ▁a ▁hop lon . ▁The ▁hop lon ▁shield ▁inspired ▁the ▁name ▁for ▁hop l ite ▁soldiers . ▁The ▁hop lon ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁longest - last ing ▁and ▁most ▁famous ▁and ▁influ ential ▁of ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁ancient ▁Greek ▁shield s . ▁The ▁Spart ans ▁used ▁the ▁as pis ▁to ▁create ▁the ▁Greek ▁ph al an x ▁formation . ▁Their ▁shield s ▁offered ▁protection ▁not ▁only ▁for ▁themselves ▁but ▁for ▁their ▁com r ades ▁to ▁their ▁left . ▁Ex amples ▁of ▁German ic ▁wooden ▁shield s ▁circa ▁ 3 5 0   BC   – ▁ 5 0 0   AD ▁surv ive ▁from ▁weapons ▁sacrific es ▁in ▁Dan ish ▁b ogs . ▁ ▁The ▁heavily ▁arm ored ▁Roman ▁leg ion aries ▁carried ▁large ▁shield s ▁( sc uta ) ▁that ▁could ▁provide ▁far ▁more ▁protection , ▁but ▁made ▁swift ▁movement ▁a ▁little ▁more ▁difficult . ▁The ▁sc ut um ▁originally ▁had ▁an ▁o val ▁shape , ▁but ▁gradually ▁the ▁cur ved ▁to ps ▁and ▁sides ▁were ▁cut ▁to ▁produce ▁the ▁familiar ▁rect angular ▁shape ▁most ▁commonly ▁seen ▁in ▁the ▁early