Plate-mail hybrid armor

[Peroni]

The previous discussion points are here..
http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=9052

An "out there" thought: Just wondering if it could be additional protection on top of an existing traditional hamata to give extra protection to the neck in particular, held in place by the mail links attached to the existing lorica hamata?

Interesting Jim. Looking at the piece, the mail links are attached by rivets on the outside of the plates not the inside. This would suggest that the plates were either;

a) the top section of a mail vest that just extended from the bottom of both the front and back plate, upper arm protection possibly provided by pteryges,or

But it seems odd to add all of that protection to the upper shoulders, then leave the outer shoulders and top of the arms unprotected

b) an added layer of protection that went entirely underneath a regular shaped mail shirt. i.e. the mail shoulder sections passed over the plates.

Regards,