Linen Corselet?

[D B Campbell]

As so many upper class Romans did their 'National Service' I guess it is unfair to call any of them totally armchair historians. However Cassius Dio seems to have done rather a lot. As Curator of Pergamum and of Smyrna then Governor of Africa, Dalmatia and Pannonia Superior I thought he might have had more contact with soldiers than most, even if only in a ceremonial capacity. My suggestion was that when someone of his calibre say's Caracalla equipped his troops with linen and leather armour I am fairly sure he is not making it up or has made a mistake. Nevertheless you can correct me if I am wrong Duncan.

Apologies, Graham. I had overlooked Dio's governorship of (very military) Upper Pannonia (omitted, for some reason, from the OCD2 entry).