Ancient Roman Technique to Protect our Schools against Gun Violence

To All,

We are all concerned and shocked by the violence in our schools, I wish our technology would allow for some panic button that would change the air around the schools and make impossible for current bullet technology to kill anyone. Or a massive magnet in the roof of all schools that when a microphone detected the sound of a bullet would make any bullet trajectory upwards also avoid killing anyone. But this technologies are far in the future. So lets take a look in the past.

Back in the Romans age, they created a war formation called the Testudo or Tortoise Formation, what if a group of elite seniors or teachers would be provided:

1 – bullet proof backpack;

2 – in case of a school shooting the group will form the Testudo formation technique and walk safely out the school in group. This will be the evasive Testudo maneuver;

3 – alternative the Testudo group will be deployed moving, slowly, towards the attacker, and with a cattle sticker electrical device poking out from the middle of the formation they would move closer and try to disable the attacker.

The third option will be super risky, and this idea should be combined with new school evacuation plans and possible with the deployment of removable bullet proof walls that could lock or delay the active shooter until the proper authorities arrive. Buying some seconds or confusing the attacker to a point where we could save lives. Our law enforcement agencies use this with their shield in riot protocol. Why not use in schools.

I am not filing this idea at the USPTO, but instead will share with Gov. and the NRA and maybe Oakley. As they are someone with power that maybe able to take this idea to execution. Any questions reach me at fzangerolame AT gmail.com.

God Bless America.

Francisco J. Zangerolame a Concerned Citizen

 

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testudo_formation

Extract from Source:

In the testudo formation, the men would align their shields to form a packed formation covered with shields on the front and top. The first row of men, possibly excluding the men on the flanks, would hold their shields from about the height of their shins to their eyes, so as to cover the formation’s front. The shields would be held in such a way that they presented a shield wall to all sides. The men in the back ranks would place their shields over their heads to protect the formation from above, balancing the shields on their helmets, overlapping them. If necessary, the legionaries on the sides and rear of the formation could stand sideways or backwards with shields held as the front rows, so as to protect the formation’s sides and rear; this reduced the speed and mobility of the formation, but offered consistent defensive strength against opposing infantry and excellent protection against arrows and other missile attacks.

Plutarch describes this formation as used by Mark Antony during his invasion of Parthia in 36 BC:

“Then the shield-bearers wheeled round and enclosed the light-armed troops within their ranks, dropped down to one knee, and held their shields out as a defensive barrier. The men behind them held their shields over the heads of the first rank, while the third rank did the same for the second rank. The resulting shape, which is a remarkable sight, looks very like a roof, and is the surest protection against arrows, which just glance off it.”[1]
Cassius Dio writes about the testudo when describing the campaign of Mark Antony in 36 BC:

“This testudo and the way in which it is formed are as follows. The Baggage animals, the light-armed troops, and the cavalry are placed in the center of the army. The heavy-armed troops who use the oblong, curved, cylindrical shields are drawn up around the outside, making a rectangular figure, and, facing outward and holding their arms at the ready, they enclose the rest. The others who have flat shields, form a compact body in the center and raise their shields over the heads of all the others so that nothing but shields can be seen in every part of the phalanx alike and all the men by the density of the formation are under shelter from missiles. Indeed, it is so marvelously strong that men can walk upon it and whenever they come to a narrow ravine, even horses and vehicles can be driven over it.”