Left arm manica?

[richsc]

I don't remember if the thinking is that the right arm manica of a gladiator was the inspiration for the right arm manica of the soldiers, but usually in gladiator kit there was some basis for the item in the past. So I wondered, in the retarius, where did the left arm guard with the high shoulder piece come from?<br>
And as I was also just reading one of the new Osprey books on Roman siege engines, I was imagining an archer looking out through an arrow slot, with their only vulnerability being, yes, the left side. A manica like a retarius' would give the archer time to pick a target and aim without terrible fear of getting hit.<br>
So, two questions; those archers out there; any evidence that might be interpreted for a left arm manica? And anyway, where did the left arm manica of the retarius come from, in terms of Rome's enemies? <p>Legio XX<br>
Caput dolet, pedes fetent, Iesum non amo<br>
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