Testudo
Encyclopedia
Testudo may refer to:
- Testudo (genus)Testudo (genus)Testudo is a genus of tortoises found in North Africa, western Asia, and Europe. Several species are under threat in the wild, mainly from habitat destruction....
, a genus of tortoises - The Latin variant of the Greek chelysChelysThe chelys , was a stringed musical instrument, the common lyre of the ancient Greeks, which had a convex back of tortoiseshell or of wood shaped like the shell. The word chelys was used in allusion to the oldest lyre of the Greeks, which was said to have been invented by Hermes...
harp made from a tortoise shell - The testudo formationTestudo formationIn Ancient Roman warfare, the testudo or tortoise formation was a formation used commonly by the Roman Legions during battles, particularly sieges. Testudo is the Latin word for "tortoise"...
, a Roman military tactic - An armored siege engineSiege engineA siege engine is a device that is designed to break or circumvent city walls and other fortifications in siege warfare. Some have been operated close to the fortifications, while others have been used to attack from a distance. From antiquity, siege engines were constructed largely of wood and...
of antiquity, with metal plating on the top to protect from missiles fired from above - The name of the official mascot of the University of Maryland, College Park, a diamondback terrapin
- Testudo, an obsolete constellationFormer constellationsFormer constellations are constellations that are no longer recognized by the International Astronomical Union for various reasons. Many of these constellations existed for long periods of time, even centuries in many cases, which means they still have a large historical value and can be found on...
now in the constellation of Pisces - Testudo, an alternative name of the constellation LyraLyraLyra is a small constellation. It is one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88 modern constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union. Its principal star, Vega — a corner of the Summer Triangle — is one of the brightest...