Protective but flexible musculata.

[Matthew Amt]

By the way I was just thinking of something relating back to having a soft covering of a metal breastplate. You know this is very much like how the Scutum was made. Not that it extends past the edges since there is no need of that. But just the gluing and covering over a ridged form. So that is an act and idea they would have used constantly to in making shields.

Hoo, kind of a reach.... I don't see any analogy at all. Shields were made with a covering to help keep the wood from splitting, not something that metal requires. Probably the best facing was rawhide, which is rigid when dry.

Whilst there have been finds, I doubt very much if more than 5% of all the armour and equipment worn has been found, probably more like 1 or 2%, anyone willing to bet on that percentage as being representative of all the armour worn?

Sure, why not? Yes, it could very well be skewed a bit due to material (copper alloys preserving better than iron, for example), but what we have found is generally an excellent match for what we see in artwork. Certainly it's not a complete picture, but when something new turns up we all get excited and immediately add it to our knowledge base, and if necessary we change our tune about what we believe. But you have to admit that archeological evidence is a little harder to argue with than pictoral evidence, at least when debating the very existence of something!

I'll say it again: I LOVE it when something is found that makes all sit back and say, "We were ALL WRONG." Since Sulla has repeatedly said that his idea has no basis, it doesn't look like we're headed for that moment of terrifying epiphany.

Valete,

Matthew