▁surv iving ▁examples ▁of ▁metal ▁shield s ▁are ▁generally ▁felt ▁to ▁be ▁cer emon ial ▁rather ▁than ▁practical , ▁for ▁example ▁the ▁Y eth ol m - type ▁shield s ▁of ▁the ▁Bron ze ▁Age , ▁or ▁the ▁Iron ▁Age ▁B atter se a ▁shield . ▁ ▁An cient ▁history ▁ ▁Size ▁and ▁weight ▁varied ▁greatly . ▁Light ly ▁arm ored ▁war riors ▁re lying ▁on ▁speed ▁and ▁surprise ▁would ▁generally ▁carry ▁light ▁shield s ▁( pel te ) ▁that ▁were ▁either ▁small ▁or ▁thin . ▁He avy ▁troops ▁might ▁be ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁robust ▁shield s ▁that ▁could ▁cover ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁body . ▁Many ▁had ▁a ▁st rap ▁called ▁a ▁gu ige ▁that ▁allowed ▁them ▁to ▁be ▁sl ung ▁over ▁the ▁user ' s ▁back ▁when ▁not ▁in ▁use ▁or ▁on ▁horse back . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 4 th – 1 3 th ▁century   BC , ▁the ▁S ards ▁or ▁Sh ard ana , ▁working ▁as ▁mer cen aries ▁for ▁the ▁Egypt ian ▁ph ara oh ▁R ams es ▁II , ▁util ized ▁either ▁large ▁or ▁small ▁round ▁shield s ▁against ▁the ▁H itt ites . ▁The ▁My c ena e an ▁Gree ks ▁used ▁two ▁types ▁of ▁shield s : ▁the ▁" figure - of - e ight " ▁shield ▁and ▁a ▁rect angular ▁" t ower " ▁shield . ▁These ▁shield s ▁were ▁made ▁primarily ▁from ▁a ▁w icker ▁frame ▁and ▁then ▁rein for ced ▁with ▁le ather . ▁Cover ing ▁the ▁body ▁from ▁head ▁to ▁foot