04-01-2011, 01:44 AM
[quote]Hi Alan,
[quote="Alanus" post=286294]I made the statement about splint greaves based on my theory that various pieces of armor were carried directly from one time period to the next in a continuum, not "reinvented."
But seriously, apart from the Scythians I still have to find a use of splint greaves later and further west during Roman times. Although I do not have an exhaustive knowledge of the use of armour (by no means!) I think personally that splint greaves may have been introduced in the West by the Avars, or perhaps even later.[/quote]
Hi Robert,
If splint greaves were used by Scythians, then again found in 3rd century Kunzing, Germany, and again used by Avars, we find Sarmatians sandwiched between these cultures. I don't think they lived in a void and knew what splint greaves were and had no taboos in wearing them. As mentioned, other Romanesque kits included them, like this one:
[attachment=523]splintgreaves003.JPG[/attachment]
This photo comes directly from a RAT thread, and most likely this chap is known to someone tuned in.
Here is perhaps the instigator, pictued below:
[attachment=524]splintgreaves001.JPG[/attachment]
The illustration comes from The Late Roman Cavarlyman by Simon MacDowall. The artist is Christa Hook, daughter of old friends of mine, Francis and Richard Hook. (We all lived in East Boothbay just before Christa was born, and I was one of their male models.)
Perhaps splint greaves were reintroduced by the Avars, then again by the Poles, but they were and are so ubiquitous that they hung around for interim centuries, catching Vegetius' attention, and maybe at least one bold Sarmatian or Alan who wanted to protect his shins instead of gonads. Everybody has a quirk.:wink:
[quote="Alanus" post=286294]I made the statement about splint greaves based on my theory that various pieces of armor were carried directly from one time period to the next in a continuum, not "reinvented."
But seriously, apart from the Scythians I still have to find a use of splint greaves later and further west during Roman times. Although I do not have an exhaustive knowledge of the use of armour (by no means!) I think personally that splint greaves may have been introduced in the West by the Avars, or perhaps even later.[/quote]
Hi Robert,
If splint greaves were used by Scythians, then again found in 3rd century Kunzing, Germany, and again used by Avars, we find Sarmatians sandwiched between these cultures. I don't think they lived in a void and knew what splint greaves were and had no taboos in wearing them. As mentioned, other Romanesque kits included them, like this one:
[attachment=523]splintgreaves003.JPG[/attachment]
This photo comes directly from a RAT thread, and most likely this chap is known to someone tuned in.
Here is perhaps the instigator, pictued below:
[attachment=524]splintgreaves001.JPG[/attachment]
The illustration comes from The Late Roman Cavarlyman by Simon MacDowall. The artist is Christa Hook, daughter of old friends of mine, Francis and Richard Hook. (We all lived in East Boothbay just before Christa was born, and I was one of their male models.)
Perhaps splint greaves were reintroduced by the Avars, then again by the Poles, but they were and are so ubiquitous that they hung around for interim centuries, catching Vegetius' attention, and maybe at least one bold Sarmatian or Alan who wanted to protect his shins instead of gonads. Everybody has a quirk.:wink:
Alan J. Campbell
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb
member of Legio III Cyrenaica and the Uncouth Barbarians
Author of:
The Demon's Door Bolt (2011)
Forging the Blade (2012)
"It's good to be king. Even when you're dead!"
Old Yuezhi/Pazyrk proverb