testudo
/tɛˈstuːdoʊ/
noun
- A military formation used by ancient Roman soldiers, in which they locked their shields together above their heads to form a protective shell like a turtle's shell.
- The Roman legion formed a testudo to protect themselves from arrows while approaching the fortress.
- In the movie, the soldiers march forward under a testudo of overlapping shields.
- The testudo was an effective defense against projectiles but made movement slow.
- A type of ancient Roman shelter or roof made of boards and hides, used by soldiers to protect themselves while digging or attacking walls.
- The testudo was dismantled once the troops reached the base of the wall.
- The engineers built a testudo of planks to shield the sappers as they dug under the city wall.
- Under the cover of a testudo, the soldiers were able to approach the gate safely.