The sword was a mainstay of the Roman military throughout its history. In the Republican period, the dominant style of sword was the gladius Hispaniensis. This style of sword was adopted by the Romans after they encountered it in Spain. The "classic Roman sword" means that the blade was between 25 and 30 inches long, the guard was very narrow, and the hilt was topped with a rounded ball.
Roman shield, commonly called the Scutum, was worn by the heavy-armed infantry and adapted to the form of the human body by being made either oval or of the shape of a door which it also resembled in being made of wood or wicker-work.