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Evening all, i'm thinking about comissioning a leather or linen cuirass based on the ones illustrated and described in R D'Amatos Arms and armour of the imperial Roman soldier. Now then gentlemen as my peers what would be your reaction be should i arrive at one of your events wearing one. I'm considering the Marcus Favonius Facilis inspired one. Your thoughts please.
Richard Craig AKA Aulus Maximus
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Well, you would certainly make a good 19th century 'Roman impression' impression for sure.
I don't mind the use of leather myself, but then being it worn over or under some metal armour, not instead off. D'amato puts some research 150 years back in time...
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I used to think that too, however some of D'Amatos points are very interesting particully the Marcus Favonis Facilus cuirais which is based not only on the gravestone but also on a wall painting.
I have to admit that i'm fairly traditional in my view of Roman armour and this has made me dismiss some ideas immediately. I started Roman reenactment in 1989 and back then Trajans Column was gospel and auxilliaries never wore segmentata, now i am more open to other well argued possibilities.
Richard Craig AKA Aulus Maximus
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Yes Graham Sumner illustrated the picture i refer too, not happy to argue but happy to explain. I understand that some people can be die hard in their opinions, but archaeology is a constantly changing field, when i started reenacting it was still believed that the segmentata was introduced mid 1st century. Now we know different.
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Indeed you beat me to it Nathan.
The version in Ancient Warfare is a much more in depth view than the one in 'Arms and Armour'.
The Facilis panoply does have some unusual features, such as the long shoulder doubling and the belt which I am convinced is not made from separate belt plates. While the idea of a cuirass made from layers of linen covered with a thin layer of leather is entirely feasible the problem with a design based on this particular sculpture is getting it to extend partially down the shoulders and to raise the arms. That is of course something I can do in an artwork but does not prove it can work although William Brown made a good attempt with his re-construction which appears in the article.
Of course the simple explanation is that the sculptor made many mistakes and the accepted version is that a mail shirt is shown, however that still does not totally explain the belt to me, as similar examples showing the continuous crenelated design exist elsewhere.
Graham.
"Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream" Edgar Allan Poe.
"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.
"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.