Weapon/Armor Effectiveness

[M. Caecilius]

There's some interesting stuff on this topic in Xantener Berichte 16, Waffen in Aktion, ROMEC XVI (published 2009).

I'm only able to read the book very slowly due to a rather busy time at work, but in particular the article by S. James, 'The point of the sword: what Roman-era weapons could do to bodies - and why they often didn't' (p.41-54) in particular has some interesting bits, although overall I'd rather he had written more than the space allowed.

T. Fischer also does a frustratingly brief introduction on "Kampfspuren" (traces of combat) on buildings, weapons, armour and bodily remains (ibid. p.1-9).

Overall, my impression so far is that the work is quite interesting, but frustratingly brief on interesting aspects - partly, as the acknowledge, because more studies have been done on typology than effect of weapons under scientific circumstances, due, in part to a supposed (?) reluctance of the academe to get involved with the more gory bits, and in part because it's a tad illegal to do the experiment for real...

Will keep people updated as I go, if there is an interest.