02-19-2006, 01:37 PM
Tarbicus,
Nice photos.
I was just about to agree about the apparently flexible cuirass until I noticed that the image two above it shows two shields on the right which have a 'squashed' look to them. It then occured to me that the sculptor may have wanted to show the details of the pteruges on the left of the cuirass and squshed the shape of the cuirass to stop these details being hidden behind the shield.
Travis,
"Again, the preference for the archaeological record is itself a problem since the archaeological record preserves potential isolates and anomalies. As far as we know, we may be wearing reproductions that represent a very narrow band of armor that was only worn in one small region or time. Everyone sees these problems with the "artistic license" when it comes to the artwork, very rarely to they see the problems with archaeological finds. I'm an art historian by training, so my thing is the art, which is no less valid a source than a few possibly accidental survivals in my opinion. The best is to consult all sources and look for commonalities. We simply can't do that in the case of the musculata since the only firm evidence is the artwork."
All very good points which I wholeheartedly agree with. My thinking runs in a similar way, which is why I always advise extreme caution when looking at Trajan's column for information about things we have ample archaeological evidence for, but run straight to it when I want to talk about such things as marching kit. As far as I know, the column is still our only visual source of information on marching packs and one of only three sources of information on shield carriage. Until more physical evidence turns up (which it may not do) I will have to keep looking at the sculpture. As you say, we have no surviving example of a complete Roman musculata to study and even if we did have it might have been a unique artifact in the first place. Thus, as you say, we are forced to depend on our interpretations of the sculpture.
Crispvs
Nice photos.
I was just about to agree about the apparently flexible cuirass until I noticed that the image two above it shows two shields on the right which have a 'squashed' look to them. It then occured to me that the sculptor may have wanted to show the details of the pteruges on the left of the cuirass and squshed the shape of the cuirass to stop these details being hidden behind the shield.
Travis,
"Again, the preference for the archaeological record is itself a problem since the archaeological record preserves potential isolates and anomalies. As far as we know, we may be wearing reproductions that represent a very narrow band of armor that was only worn in one small region or time. Everyone sees these problems with the "artistic license" when it comes to the artwork, very rarely to they see the problems with archaeological finds. I'm an art historian by training, so my thing is the art, which is no less valid a source than a few possibly accidental survivals in my opinion. The best is to consult all sources and look for commonalities. We simply can't do that in the case of the musculata since the only firm evidence is the artwork."
All very good points which I wholeheartedly agree with. My thinking runs in a similar way, which is why I always advise extreme caution when looking at Trajan's column for information about things we have ample archaeological evidence for, but run straight to it when I want to talk about such things as marching kit. As far as I know, the column is still our only visual source of information on marching packs and one of only three sources of information on shield carriage. Until more physical evidence turns up (which it may not do) I will have to keep looking at the sculpture. As you say, we have no surviving example of a complete Roman musculata to study and even if we did have it might have been a unique artifact in the first place. Thus, as you say, we are forced to depend on our interpretations of the sculpture.
Crispvs
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