a piece of defensive armour used by the ancients. It was worn on the left arm; and composed of wickers woven together, or wood of the lightest sort, covered with hides, and fortified with plates of brass or other metal. The figure was sometimes round, sometimes oval, and sometimes almost square. Most of the bucklers were curiously adorned with all sorts of figures of birds and beasts, as eagles, lions; nor of these only, but of the gods, of the celestial bodies, and all the works of nature; which custom was derived from the heroic times, and from them communicated to the Grecians, Romans, and Barbarians.

The testum, or Roman buckler, was of wood, the parts being joined together with little plates of iron, and the whole covered with a bull's hide. An iron plate went about it without, to keep off blows; and another within, to hinder it from taking any damage by lying on the ground. In the middle was an iron boss or umbo jutting out, very serviceable to glance off stones and darts; and sometimes to press violently upon