Legionary & Auxilia Chain Mail

[Folkert van Wijk]

I think the artwork on triumphal arches and columns are nice to look at and read the story, but I hardly put any reconstruction-value on the artwork shown on them since they are often built many years after the occasion, and the gear that is shown very rarely reflects archaeological finds. Imagine if Roman reenactors were wearing loricas as depicted on Trajan's Column, or Celts were carrying carnicies with realistic cow-heads. Or my favorite: the hexagonal shield!

Good discussion guys, keep it going!! :wink:

My idea about the triumphal arches is that is shows the barbarians and auxiliary in a archetypal way to make them recognizable as foreigners. Pretty much like the way we draw the native Americans now a days. With long black hair, bare chest and 1 or 2 feathers on the back of there heads...

The same goes for the depiction of Celtic shields, what you see on the columns are simplified versions of the much more complicated Celtic patterns...