I.a round shield, Lat. clipeus, of bull's hide, overlaid with metal plates, with a boss (ὀμφαλός) in the middle, and fringed with tassels (θύσανοι): different from the oblong shield (ὅπλον, Lat. scutum) used by the ὁπλῖται.
2.in Prose, used for a body of soldiers, ὀκτακισχιλίη ἀσπίς 8, 000 men-at-arms, Hdt.
3.military phrases: ἐπ᾽ ἀσπίδας πέντε καὶ εἴκοσι τάξασθαι to be drawn up 25 deep, Thuc.; so, ἐπ᾽ ἀσπίδων ὀλίγων τετάχθαι id=Thuc.; ἐπ᾽ ἀσπίδα, παρ᾽ ἀσπίδα (opp. to ἐπὶ δόρυ) on the left, towards or to the left, because the shield was on the left arm, Xen.; παρ᾽ ἀσπ. στῆναι to stand in battle-array, Eur.
II.an asp, an Egyptian snake, Hdt.
