Painting Guide for the Punic Wars
The definitive source is:
Head, D. (1982). Armies of the Macedonian and Punic wars 359 BC to 146 BC. Wargames Research Group.
My painting guide does not replace Head (1982) as I make no attempt to duplicate his illustrations. All I do is list the colours to use. Where I mention "illustrations" I mean illustrations from Head's book.
My offering isn't a comprehensive guide, but it does cover:
Note: Ancient Bronze resembles our modern Brass.
Numidians
Hair (their own)
Black
Skin (their own)
Brown
Tunic
Varied: White to off white (so exciting!!).
Helmet
Bronze
Shield
Tribesmen would just have a brown leather shield.
Roman Trained infantry would have a painted wooden shields
with Carthaginian style designs.
Belt
Base material: Leather
Fittings including plaques: Bronze, gold or silver
Sandals/boots + straps
Base material: Leather
Fittings: Bronze
Sword and dagger
Handle: Ivory or wood or iron
Scabbard: Wood or leather with bronze fittings
Blade: Steel
Javelin, pilum, spear
Haft: Wood
Shaft + Blade: Steel
Horses
The horse: As you would expect, but predominantly brown.
The trappings: leather
Spanish: Iberians (inc Balearic), Celtiberian and
Lusitani
This covers the Iberians (inc Balearic), Celtiberian and
Lusitani
Hair (their own)
Black or dark brown
Tunic
no uniform; so lots of variety
White base with scarlet* decoration (national dress for all Spanish).
Note: A few of the rich Iberians (like Generals) in red tunics with white trim
For decorations see illustrations; minimum =strip around
collar, cuffs, hem.
*
Polybius says Purple, but there are two problems with this:
1. Dye was expensive and purple dye was the most expensive, for example, only
Roman Consuls wore purple.
2. Purple dye was expensive because it was hard to get; the only source I know
of was in Palestine. There was no source in Spain.
It is much more likely that the predominant colour was red given Spain was a
major exporter of this colour. I fairly arbitrarily choose scarlet as the
tone to use. I believe the Osprey Armies of the Carthaginian Wars
specifies crimson instead of purple although i can't confirm this as I don't
have the book.
Greaves (leg guard)
Bronze
Helmet
Bowl if sinew (common): White* <== important
Bowl if metal: Bronze
Crest: Red, black, or white
* My sinew helmets are white 'cause that is what I thought they would have been at the time I painted them army, but people in general paint them anywhere from off-white to light brown.
Shield
no uniform; so lots of variety
Shield Face: see illustrations for patterns. Bright and patterned.
Note: Celtiberians/Lusitani would use both Iberian and Gallic shield patterns.
Edge of oval shield, + boss: Iron
Belt
Base material: Leather
Fittings including plaques: Bronze, gold or silver
Sandals/boots + straps
Base material: Leather
Fittings: Bronze
Body Armour
Mail: Iron
Scale: Iron or Bronze
one or more, square or round plates: Bronze including
shoulder straps
Sword and dagger
Handle: Ivory or wood or iron
Scabbard: Wood or leather with bronze fittings, or entirely iron
Blade: Steel; a few Lusitani with Bronze
Javelin, pilum, spear
Haft: Wood
Shaft + Blade: Steel; a few Lusitani with Bronze
Standard
Emblem: Silver or bronze
Haft: Wood
Instruments
Bronze or baked clay
Cloak
Note: Rich (officers, cavalry) are more likely to vary
Black is common, plus a few with:
-
Iberian : scarlet
-
Celtiberian/Lustitani: Gallic pattern
Horses
The horse: As you would expect, but Spain was famous for Duns (hence common).
The trappings: Steel, bronze, or silver fittings.
Bright colours on straps, saddle, etc.
Romans
Infantry: Hastati/Principes (Blades), Triarii (Spear), Velites/Leves (Psiloi)
To get an idea have a look at this Roman Legionary.
Note: foot officers are covered in the section on rich
people.
Hair (their own)
Black or dark brown
Tunic
Base material: White*
* Generally painting guides suggest Romans wore coloured tunics during the Punic Wars, red being the most likely contender; Head (1982) suggests red for example. However, There is an on-going debate in academic circles about the tunic colour in the Late Roman Empire, and I find the "white" argument more convincing and apply the same logic to the Republic. Dye was expensive making white or off-white far more probable for state issued gear. .
Body Armour
Mail: Iron
Plate (square or corslet): Bronze
Greaves (leg guard)
Bronze
Helmet
Bowl: Bronze
Crest: Two black & one red feather
Shield
Face: Red* with no pattern. The wooden spine should also be red.
Boss: Iron
* Generally painting guides suggest giving Romans shields of various plain colours, possibly varied by unit. All Head (1982) does is cite a light-brown illustration, and a red illustration although the latter is for non-Roman troops armed in Roman style. For better or worse I chose a standard red for my Romans; in hindsight I might do something different now.
Sword and dagger
Handle: Ivory or wood
Scabbard: Bronze
Blade: Steel
Javelin, pilum, spear
Haft: Wood
Shaft + Blade: Steel
Standard
Emblem: Silver
Haft: Wood
Trumpet
Bronze
Sandals + straps + belt
Base material: Leather
Fittings: Bronze
Wolf skin
Wolf - now there's a thing
Rich Romans: Foot Officer, Cavalry, Generals, Consul
My Rich figures are:
-
Foot officer = guy with rimmed, round shield and cloak (Essex Miniatures).
-
Roman Cavalry trooper = guy with sword raised and separate shields (Battle Honours Miniatures)
-
Ordinary General = guys with empty hand raised (Essex Miniatures)
-
Consul = guy in wrap around cloak
As Roman infantry (above) except
Tunic
Base material: Red
Cloak
Base material: Red (Purple for Consul)
Helmet
Crest: Red, black, or white; or alternate these colours
Shield
Face: Red with no pattern.
Rim: Bronze
Body armour
Pteruges (leather strips from arms and waist; if worn):
White (?)
Italians
As Roman infantry except:
Tunic
no uniform; so lots of variety
Base material:
In order of frequency: white, red, crimson, red-brown,
ochre, light grey, blue-grey. Cavalry
would use more colour than infantry.
Decorations (see illustrations)
Any of (in no order): white, red, crimson, red-brown,
ochre, light grey, blue-grey, black, yellow, blue.
Greaves (leg guard)
Bronze:
Helmet
Bowl: Bronze
Crest: Red, black, or white; or alternate these colours
Feathers: Black or white
Shield
no uniform; so lots of variety
Star was popular - all variations on what we know as the
Macedonian star.
Scutum (oval shield; see illustrations). Known patterns include:
-
black stars on yellow (bronze?)
-
black stars on brown, light brown rim
-
red star on white
-
plain bronze
Some may have had iron bosses.
Round shields (see illustrations). Known patterns include:
-
plain bronze
-
some blazon on bronze - probably any Greek ones would do
-
red disk on bronze
-
centre & rim of bronze, grey wreath on broad white circle
Wicker shield (see illustrations). Wicker (light brown?).
Belt
Base material : Bronze <=== interesting
Sandals + straps
Base material: Black
Fittings: Bronze
Body armour
Plate (square, round or group of same): Bronze
Gauls
Hair (their own)
Fair (blond, brown, red), often bleached with a thick wash
of lime (thus white, stiff & spiky)
Tunic
rich people (chiefs + cavalry) would have brighter colours and be more likely to have patterns
In order of frequency for poor people: Natural (off-white),
brown, bright yellow, scarlet, blue, purple.
Often in: strips, checks/tartan.
Cloak
Scarlet, blue or black Often with strips, checks or
borders.
Body Armour
Mail: Iron
Helmet
Bowl: Bronze (common) and/or iron
Crest: black, red or white (?)
Shield
(much variety)
Face (see illustrations): Bright and patterned
Boss: Iron (common) or bronze
Sword and dagger
Handle: Ivory or wood
Scabbard: Leather with iron/bronze fittings, or entirely iron
Blade: Steel
Javelin, spear
Haft: Wood
Shaft + Blade: Steel
Standard
Emblem: Bronze or Silver
Haft: Wood
Instrument
Bronze
Sandals + straps + belt
Base material: Leather
Fittings: Bronze
Wolf skin
Wolf
Ornaments
Neck or arm bands: Gold or bronze