The Schiltrons reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Schiltrons

A schiltron or schiltrom consists of a group of men crouching shoulder-to-shoulder under/behind shields while holding their pikess (long, spear-like weapons) slanted outwards. This defensive formation, known to the classical Romans as the testudo (tortoise), underwent further development by the Scots to meet the threat posed by the feudal English knights in the Middle Ages.

The word "schiltron" dates from at least 1000 AD and derives from Old English roots expressing the idea of a "shield-troop".

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