Pages: 155-167

Shield bosses of Dobrodzień type are well known in Barbaricum, from the Danube to the eastern shore of the Black Sea. Most of these finds are from the barbaric sites of Central Europe, which are related to the Germans of the late Roman period and the beginning of the Great Migration period. Majority of Dobrodzien type shield bosses, regardless of the region they are found, come from “military” burials containing other weapons, in particular swords and spurs, both traditionally considered to be a sign of some military prestige. The time of their distribution corresponds to the initial phase of the Great Migration period, approximately 370—430. Even though all known shield boss of Dobrodzień type originate from a barbarian, primarily Germanic context, it is assumed that this type of weapon was of Roman origin, possibly representing production of Roman workshops on the Middle Danube.

Keywords: Central Europe, Middle Danube, the Great Migration Period, shield boss, military burials, Stilicho

Information about author:

Michel Kazanski (Paris, France). Doctor Habilitat on History. Centre national de la recherche scientifique, UMR 8167: Centre d’Histoire et Civilisation de Byzance. Rue du Cardinal Lemoine, 52, Paris, 75005, France
E-mail: [email protected]