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Secondary sourceArtifact16th century

Shield of Henry II of France

Attributed to Étienne Delaune · 16th century

A richly decorated steel parade shield whose central scene shows Hannibal's victory over the Romans at Cannae.

Uses Hannibal's victory at Cannae as a symbol on a French royal ceremonial shield.

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Photo of a teardrop-shaped steel shield with embossed and gilded decoration: a central battle scene of mounted and foot soldiers, a face at the top, and roundels around the border, set against a dark red background.
Attributed to Étienne Delaune, Shield of Henry II of France, 16th century.

About this source

What it is

This steel shield is embossed and decorated with silver and gold, attributed in its design to the Paris goldsmith Étienne Delaune. It was made as a parade piece associated with Henry II of France in the 1500s.

Why it matters

The shield's central image shows Hannibal's victory over the Romans at Cannae in 216 BC, used here as a metaphor for France's struggle against the armies of the Holy Roman Empire. It shows how Renaissance rulers borrowed ancient battles to make political statements about their own wars.

Look closer

  • Why would a French king want an ancient Carthaginian victory shown on his shield?
  • What does using Hannibal as a symbol tell you about how rulers used history for propaganda?
  • What details in the battle scene can you identify as soldiers, horses, or weapons?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Hannibal Barca on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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