02-27-2016, 10:16 PM
The question was partially addressed in this thread: Roman Mail Doublers. General consensus appears to be that doublers did not last much beyond the 1st century, or Hadrian's era at the latest. However, a single copper-alloy breast hook found at Dura Europos might suggest later use (or might have been a fixing for one of those 'breast plates' that also turn up at Dura, perhaps?)
I would imagine that the longer sleeves were a gradual introduction from around the same time that the doublers fell out of use. The auxiliaries on Trajan's Column are already wearing short-sleeved (or 'cap sleeved') mail without doublers. The longer-sleeved mail might have come in around the same time as the long sleeved tunic.
(by the way - why do you spell it 'maile'? I've noticed quite a few people doing this!)
I would imagine that the longer sleeves were a gradual introduction from around the same time that the doublers fell out of use. The auxiliaries on Trajan's Column are already wearing short-sleeved (or 'cap sleeved') mail without doublers. The longer-sleeved mail might have come in around the same time as the long sleeved tunic.
(by the way - why do you spell it 'maile'? I've noticed quite a few people doing this!)
Nathan Ross
