CETRA
CETRA or
CAETRA (
καιτρέα,
καίτρα), a target, i. e. a
small round shield, made from an animal's hide (Isid.
Orig.
18.12;
Curt. 3.4; Varr. ap. Non. p. 82, 18),
those of elephant's hide having the reputation of being impenetrable (
Plin. Nat. 11.227). The
caetra is compared by Livy (
28.5,
31.36) to the
pelta of the Greeks and Macedonians; it was sometimes painted
(
versicolor, Sil. 3.278), and troops advanced to
battle clashing it against their weapons (ib. 3.348, 10.231). It was
properly a barbarian arm (see, however,
Verg. A.
7.732; Suet.
Calig. 19), and was especially used
by the Iberians (
Caes. B.C.
1.39, 48;
Luc. Phars.
7.232;
Diod. 5.33; Hesych.), the
Mauritanians (
Strabo xvii. p.828), and
the Britons (Tac.
Agric. 36). It is usually identified with
the target of the Scottish Highlanders, and may be seen “covering the
left arms” (Verg.
l.c.) of the two
accompanying figures, which
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Cetra. (From a MS. of Prudentius.)
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are taken from a MS. of Prudentius, probably written in this
country as early as the ninth century (
Cod. Cotton. Cleop.
100.8). (Cf. Morelli, iii. n. 3; Cohen,
Monn. Cons.
Caecilia.) [
PELTA]
[
J.Y] [
J.H.F]
