| During the Middle Ages, soldiers and mercenaries | | | | as a means of protection when they were not firing |
| depended on suits of armor and medieval shields to | | | | their bow and arrow. |
| provide them with additional protection during battle. | | | | Targe shields, which originated in Scotland with the |
| And while these shields protected rom injury during | | | | Gaelic clans, were actually round, unlike the other |
| combat, they were also a very convenient way of | | | | medieval shields mentioned above. |
| identifying foes from friends in the chaotic close | | | | Given the close proximity in which armies fought, |
| quarters of battle.These shields were made out of a | | | | medieval shields borrowed on the tradition of the |
| number of potential materials, including leather, wood, | | | | Roman Legions. The Romans painted the symbol of |
| and metal, and included a strap on the back for knights | | | | their legions on the shields of their troops so that they |
| to hold onto. During this period, a number of medieval | | | | could identify their soldiers from a long or extremely |
| shield styles were developed and used: | | | | close distance. This helped to reduce the number of |
| Kite shields were generally used as protection in the | | | | injuries caused by friendly "fire," so to speak, as well as |
| beginning of the Middle Ages when many soldiers | | | | helped soldiers in battle quickly regroup with their own |
| wore only chain mail instead of armour. | | | | divisions. |
| Heater shields were often used by soldiers who also | | | | In this case, the decorations of medieval shields were |
| rode on horseback. | | | | often selected from plant or animals, and the colors |
| Buckler shields were small enough that a soldier could | | | | yellow, white, red, blue, black and green were the most |
| hang it from a belt (hence the name) and they were | | | | common. Soldiers of fortune, on the other hand, who |
| the most effective conversage in hand to hand | | | | allied themselves with a local lord for a fee, often |
| combat situations. | | | | decorated their medieval shields with their coat of |
| Pavise shields were larger and designed for archers | | | | arms as a point of pride. |