Imperial Roman Testudo

The Roman Testudo, or Tortoise, was a formation widely used by the Roman Empire most notably during sieges such as that at Jerusalem or other walled cities.   The concept behind the formation was for the legionaries to form in close order with interlocking shields such that the men were protected from the sides, front, and overhead by a linked wall of shields guarding them from various forms of missile fire as they advanced.   We have presented the figures for this release such that a modular Testudo can be formed in any size desired by the collector with as few as six figures and no upward limit simply by expanding the frontage and depth as per the setup guide.    For guidance on which figures go where, please view the setup guide below which shows the layout and position of each figure.   In addition, the front, left, and right rank figures can also be used in a non-Testudo display as a close order line of battle advancing towards the enemy.