Chariot Gallery

The Shield of Achilles, used in his battle with Hector

The Shield of Achilles, used in his battle with Hector. Scenes include the earth, sky and sea, the sun, the moon and the constellations, two beautiful cities full of people, a field being ploughed, a king's estate where the harvest is being reaped, a vineyard with grape pickers, a herd of straight-horned cattle, a sheep farm, young men and women dancing, the great stream of Ocean. Scudo di Achille. Handcoloured copperplate engraving by Angelo Monticelli from Giulio Ferrario's Costumes Ancient and Modern of the Peoples of the World, Il Costume Antico e Moderno, Florence, 1842

Ezekiels vision of chariot in sky and a hand in the clouds holding out a book to him, c

Ezekiel's vision of chariot in sky and a hand in the clouds holding out a book to him, c.614 BC. Bible: Ezekiel II:9. One modern explanation is that Ezekiel, on of the four great Hebrew prophets, observed parhelia (mock suns), a phenomenon caused by reflection from water droplets or minute particles in the earth's atmosphere. Copperplate engraving 1804

© Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group

Roman soldiers making a tortoise with their shields, 1605

Roman soldiers making a tortoise with their shields, 1605. This tactic of the Roman infantry was intended to protect the soldiers from projectiles, but in this illustration the formation is depicted as being strong enough for chariots to drive over. Reconstruction from Poliorceticon sive de Machinis Tormentis Telis by Justus Lipsius. (Antwerp, 1605)

© Ann Ronan Picture Library / Heritage-Images