Leather Armor? (NO HOLDS BARRED!!)

[tlclark]

Arggh! I posted a reply to this and it disappeared! Oh well, Here's the brief reply.

Ave Travis,

It sounds to me like you've altered your position somewhat.

I don't think so, I think if you read my origins essay you will see that the the early republican musculata are based on the linothorax, and I think that the early imperials ones are as well. That would argue that they are most likely leather (or maybe laminate linen).

The primaporta is an isolate, it's the only one that looks like it that we know of. The harnesses, hinges and tongue pteruges during all periods are clearly leather, the big argument is over the cuirass itself.

My best guess is that many were entirely leather, but also that many were bronze or metal. The ratio of leather to bronze is anyone's guess.

My feeling is that by the antonine period, the armor is most likely all leather and mostly ceremonial. This may explain two phenomenon that we see later on, first the lack of obvious side seams, and second, the addition of scales to the musculata.

Everyone comments on the inability of leather armor to deflect missile attacks. The addition of scales to the musculata is obviously a response to that problem. Why would you add them if they were bronze?

Travis