Leather Armor? (NO HOLDS BARRED!!)

[Matt Lukes]

Admittedly, it's impossible to tell what's underneath the tunic. It could be anything. It's probably safe to assume he's wearing armor though (of some type)

Assumptions like that are dangerous- I wouldn't make it myself. What if he simply hasn't donned his armor yet? Do any of the other figures in that sculpture have similar dress? Or do are they all wearing obvious armor? Is there any unrelated reason to think that anyone ever wore a kind of surcoat over his armor? From the way the tunica is hanging, it looks to me to be simply body form underneath- not armor which would be clearly larger than the man wearing it. Are those men actually soldiers or are they praetorians or ceremonial guards? I can certainly see the latter not necessarily bothering with a cuirass but still carrying a shield and wearing a helmet.

Anyway, I believe the issue is with some kind of extra layer of protection- specifically leather, not just any old thing on top or armor, right? Just because it may be shown that for some reason someone wore a tunica over his armor doesn't speak to protective leather over another form of armor.

It's an interesting picture though


Matt