Lorica Hamata being pierced by arrows

[Nathan Ross]

You haven't seen any modern reconstruction that even remotely resembles Roman mail. If you pay Erik to make a decent replica of something like the Arbeia hamata then I'll gladly stand in front of an arrow.

Dan - would you still accept the results of this test?

Riveted Maille and Padded Jack Test

I found it very interesting - the arrows did penetrate the mail, but only at extremely close range (70lb bow at 15ft), although the same bow broke links at 20 yards. The links broke each time at the rivet point. Worth reading the whole article, anybody who hasn't.

This would seem to accord with Plutarch's description - the Parthian arrows perhaps could penetrate mail at close range, although it was a rare thing (and more to be feared than expected). On the other hand, Plutarch describes the arrows being fired in a shower (perhaps rapidly and with the bows not fully drawn?), and the principal injuries being to exposed hands, feet and limbs.