🔥 149–146 BC | Siege of Carthage What you’re seeing: A Roman infantryman moving through collapsing street fighting during the final assault on Carthage in the Third Punic War (149–146 BC). Armor varied by unit and role, but for this period lorica hamata (mail) is the safest baseline for a Roman infantryman. Scale armor existed, but it should not be treated as the default for every soldier. What is a scutum? A large Roman shield built from layered wood and typically faced with leather or canvas.