Every army in history needed a way to distinguish it from the enemy. This was accomplished by markings on clothing, helmets, armor, or shields that set one army apart from the other. Distinctive colors and symbols were used so that the combatants could easily tell friend from foe in the heat of battle. They could also advertise rank and were a way of boasting about identity- one's homeland, ancestry and exploits. The Greeks often bore images of animals on their shields to identify their home city state. The Athenians bore an owl, the Thebans a sphynx, and so on…