No segmentata on stele?

[Tarbicus]

I had a quick read of the article on recreating and testing helmet cross-reinforcements in JRMES 12/13. There's a very scary account of how fast the falx swing could be, which the author managed to make even faster with practice, to the point that a direct top blow to the helmet would simply break the neck (fractions of a second from the start of the swing to contact). Maybe the left shoulder doubling was removed by some legionaries to make their shield reaction times faster as part of the field modifications to equipment in Dacia?

Who knows? I'm not saying it was, and Caballo's idea is a good one.

[drsrob]

Re the lopsided legionary with one shoulder doubling, two options:-
-the scupltor made a mistake and forgot to put a second one on (D'oh!)
-the shoulder doubling is a stabiliser for the manica.


Susanna Shadrake is her excellent book on the gladiator shows that the manica has a tendency to rotate. A stabiliser worn over the chest (shown in several gladiatorial pics) stops this from happening. This COULD be a possible solution.

There could be a fashion for wearing just one shoulder doubling....but I can't think of another reason!

Cheers

Caballo

An interesting idea. However, other legionaries wearing mail or scale with an arm defense do not show this shoulder plate.

[...] Maybe the left shoulder doubling was removed by some legionaries to make their shield reaction times faster as part of the field modifications to equipment in Dacia?
[...]

Then most would have removed both shoulder doublings and I do think that an armour intended to have them would have been seriously compromised by their removal.

Some mistake by the sculpurer would seam the most likely explanation. However, did he err in the inclusion of this one, or in the exclusion of the rest? Either option seams unlikely. Questions, questions ...

[Tarbicus]

[...] Maybe the left shoulder doubling was removed by some legionaries to make their shield reaction times faster as part of the field modifications to equipment in Dacia?
[...]

Then most would have removed both shoulder doublings and I do think that an armour intended to have them would have been seriously compromised by their removal.

Not necessarily, just as not all wear greaves even though they would decrease the risk of amputation, and not all wear just one type of lorica, each with its own particular properties. It may have been as debatable then whether losing half of the doubling was of any use, some swearing by its ability to react to a falx blow, others scoffing at the idea. Bear in mind armour did lose its doubling completely (thinking of the evolutionary process you pointed out) which had already started to happen according to both the TT and TC.

[Caballo]

And a possible shoulder doubling here from the Tropaeum:-
http://www.romansireland.ie/DSC00829.jpg
And definitely in this metope (check out the expanded version if you're unconvinced):-
http://www.dirtyredcommie.com/gallery/v ... ewsIndex=1

So, I'd conclude that shoulder doubling was certainly in use in the early second century.

Cheers

Caballo

[Tarbicus]

this metope (check out the expanded version if you're unconvinced):-
http://www.dirtyredcommie.com/gallery/v ... ewsIndex=1

Officer wearing a musculata? He carries a parazonium.