Question about Newstead Lorica Plumata

[Doc]

Does anyone know the approximate date of the Newstead Lorica Plumata.

Was it first or second century AD.


Thanks

Paolo

[martijn.wijnhoven]

Paolo,

It is dated between 80 and 180 A.D.

Cheers,

Martijn

[Doc]

Thanks for the reply.

How about the Augsburg and Usk plumata remnants. Do you know the approximate date of those.

Thanks

Paolo

[martijn.wijnhoven]

Both are more or less of the same date: first to second century A.D.

Greetings,

Martijn

[Caratacus]

The site at Usk (Roman Burrium) was occupied in Neronian times, roughly between AD 60-66. The legion may have been legio XX. The site was a poor choice (it is subject to flash flooding even today and it's in the wrong place to control access to the South Welsh coastal plain - Caerleon is much better placed). The example of plumata armour we have in the museum at Caerleon shows extremely small bronze scales (OK, copper alloy), no more than about 4 mm in length - and they all appear to have the median vertical line as well.

There is considerable evidence that occupation at Usk continued well beyond AD 66 (I've recently been dating and describing samian pottery from the 1965-76 excvations and there is a great deal there from the late 2nd century). However, the nature of this occupation is not known. It doesn't appear to have been legionary soldiers, though. There is some evidence that the site was used for metal working under army control well in the 2nd CAD. It seems highly unlikely that the plumata fragment came from this later period as it was found in levels that were closely dated to the Neronian period, from coin and pottery finds.

In passing, it may be mentioned that there were a small number of finds of lorica segmentata of the Corbridge type that came from a small pit - again dated to the Neronian period. Recently, however, we came across a sample of Newstead armour from the same pit that was not published in Manning's original report. This is far too early for this variety of lor seg. It looks like it may have been deposited by having a second pit dug through the original one and back filled with rubbish!

So far as the Newstead plumata is concerned, this site is one that was occupied at least twice. A Flavian foundation was abandoned around AD 105 and it was re-occupied under Antoninus Pius around AD 140. I'll have to look through my references to see which fort the armour was found in!

Caratacus
(Mike Thomas)