Was the leather muscled curiass of the later times sexier?

[Urselius]

I would merely urge caution. Certainly no Roman hardened leather muscle-cuirass has been dug up, however, there is ample evidence that leather was employed as armour in a variety of societies and periods. We also know that leather was employed as a defence in the Roman period (the scale of its use being moot). Therefore the possibility of hardened leather cuirasses having been employed by the Romans exists - absence of proof is not proof of absence.

Cut at a leather belt with a reasonably sharp cutting tool with a sawing action and it will cut fairly easily. Put the belt on a yielding surface, to mimic a human body with some padding over it, and hack at the leather and it will be surprisingly resilient.

In the Crimea the Russians' thick woollen greatcoats were sufficient to stop many British cavalry sabres cutting with effect, non-metallic armour is not entirely despicable.