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Weapons of defense don’t get nearly enough credit in modern storytelling.
You can have the best offensive weapons: swords, daggers, canons, guns, you name it, but a
good defensive weapon will always have you coming out on top.
This is why today we’re highlighting the Top 10 Most Powerful Shields of Mythology.
All your favorite heroes, and some you didn’t even know about, coming through with that
defense!
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10.
Perseus' Polished Shield In Greek mythology, Perseus is the legendary
founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty.
He beheaded the Gorgon Medusa for Polydectes and saved Andromeda from the sea monster Cetus.
He was the son of Zeus and the mortal Danaë, as well as the half-brother and great-grandfather
of Heracles.
Hermes lent Perseus winged sandals to fly, and Athena gave him a polished shield.
Perseus then proceeded to the Gorgons' cave where he used the reflection from his shield
to view Medusa to kill her.
Perhaps this is a story of "it's not what you have, but how you use it", no innuendo
intended, but without the shield, Perseus may have never prevailed.
9.
Arimathea’s Shield Three maidens were said to have brought this
legendary shield to the castle in the Legend of King Arthur.
It was left there for Perceval, who then uses it to defeat the knight of the burning dragon.
The Knight was called this way because his own shield had the head of a dragon which
could actually breathe fire.
Perceval was able to defeat him because his own shield was the only one able to protect
him against it.
Due to this level of protection, he cut off the sword hand of the knight and put his own
sword in the mouth of the dragon, who enraged, burned his owner to death.
8.
Svalinn In Norse mythology, Svalinn is a shield that
protects the earth from burning.
In the myth, if this shield were to fall from its position, the mountains and sea would
burn up.
Svalinn means “cold” or “chill”.
This shield is powerful not just because it keeps us all from being eaten up by the flames
of the sun, but because it’s actually a god.
Of all the shields so far, this one is perhaps most deeply rooted in reality.
Though in Norse Mythology it's called Svalinn and is said to be a physical shield, we have
what we call an Ozone, which is actually a great superhero name as well!
Norse mythology was on it.
7.
Ancile Mars, the Roman god, had a shield with its
very own name.
Ancile was a shield that fell from heaven during the reign of Rome’s second king,
Numa Pompilius.
It was so powerful and valuable that he had eleven copies made to confuse thieves.
In total, the twelve sacred shields were all called the ancilla and were kept in Mars’
temple.
The original shield was said to perpetuate Rome’s state as a sovereign entity, all
the others were kept with the original to dissuade any hero from attempting to steal
them and maybe end up with the wrong one.
6.
Shield of Evalach Another Arthurian Shield.
This time, a white shield belonging to King Evalach and his son Josephus in the time of
Joseph of Arimathea, who seems to be a common name when talking about Arthurian shields.
Josephus painted a cross on it with his own blood, which allowed the owner protection
from the heavens.
Later, Galahad won the shield from the shield’s guardian and used it for himself knowing it
would allow him the protection that he needed in battle.
5.
Shield of Achilles Alright, so when you think of Achilles, it’s
not his shield that first comes to mind, is it?
It’s his heel.
However, this shield, which he uses in his fight with Hector, had many intricate details
on it.
His original armor was worn by Patrocius in his battle with Hector, and when killed, the
armor is taken as a trophy.
Thetis, Achilles’ mother, asks the god Hephaestus to give him other armor.
His shield is described in detail, with careful imagery and is the first in literature to
describe a work of art with words so a reader could envision it without seeing it.
4.
Srivatsa The Srivatsa is a very different kind of shield.
It’s a symbol that is considered the shield of Vishnu, a Hindu god, and manifested often
on his chest.
It is said that it is in this mark where is consort Lakshmi or “Sri” resides.
The shield of Vishnu, a symbol worshiped and revered by the Hindus, is said to be manifested
in the god's chest.
In India, the bronze produced after the 10th Century had the Srivatsa symbol as an inverted
triangle on the right chest of Vishnu.
This is very interesting because it’s a very different concept of a shield.
No need for steel, metal, or even hides, just the presence of a god all in one symbol.
Now that’s innovative.
3.
Pridwen King Arthur himself makes the list!
With his shield known as Pridwen or also Wynebgwrthucher… or
every key you can press on your keyboard at once.
The shield and his weapons are named in a passage that says: "You shall have the request
that head and tongue name, as far as the wind dries, as far as the rain wets, as far as
the sun rises, as far as the sea stretches, as far as the earth extends, excepting only
my ship, my mantle, my sword Caledfwlch, my spear Rhongomyniad, my shield Wynebgwrthucher,
my knife Carnwennan and my wife Gwenhwyvar."
Theories say the shield would have been circular instead of elongated like in medieval wars,
and some say it could have had a cross on it.
Others think it was not a cross but an image of the Virgin Mary.
2.
Aegis Another shield with a name.
This time, Zeus' shield, which he often lent to his daughter Athena, and also Perseus.
Some sources state that it’s not a shield the way we’re used to thinking of such,
but rather an animal skin wore over garments that offered extra protection.
It wasn’t ordinary by any means - it had the head of a Gorgon and actually roared during
battle, and it was also covered in gold scales like a snake.
It's stated that when Zeus shook it, the clouds would cover Mount Ida, and humans would hide
in fear.
Aegis, the shield’s name, comes from the meanings “violent windstorm,” “divine
shield,” and “goatskin garment”.
Pretty self-explanatory, I’d say.
1.
Shield of Ajax Ajax is a major hero in Homer’s Iliad.
He’s described as a man of great stature, a large frame and great strength.
His training was some of the best, done by a centaur.
He was fearless, a commander of an army and holder of a massive shield made of seven cow
hides and a layer of bronze.
He is not wounded in any of the battles in the Iliad, and receives hardly any help from
the gods, until book 13 when Poseidon renews his strength with a strike of his staff.
He’s mostly a defensive warrior, often coming to the camp’s cover when necessary.
Ajax is the hero who, with Odysseus, fights the Trojans to recover Achilles’ body after
his death.
Ajax’s shield could be the reason why he stays alive and well throughout
the story.