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06-19-2004, 05:38 PM

Hi all, can someone tell me what the Latin name is of the Roman breastplate, that sealed off the hole breast with two plates of iron or bronze...(Hellenistic type)??

06-20-2004, 12:05 AM

I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about; could you describe it a little more? 
 
 
Aaron

06-20-2004, 07:13 AM

Ave! 
 
If you're talking about the cuirasses worn by statues of emperors and such, with muscles and other decoration embossed into it, it is generally referres to simply as a "muscle-cuirass", or to latinize it perhaps, a 'Musculata'. 
the actual name for such an item from roman times is unknown. 
 
Regards, 
Gaius Marius Aquilus

06-21-2004, 10:10 AM

The cuirass was generally called a lorica. 
Lorica hamata = mail, lorica squamata = scales, lorica plumata = uncertain. Maybe a composite mail/scales. 
Lorica segmentata is not roman, it's a modern name. The true name of the segmentata is unknown... Lorica gallica? 
Just a joke.. 
In the case of the greek muscled cuirass it may have retained its greek name: thorax. 
The imperial busts and statues could be of two types: togatus = with civilian toga, or loricatus = with an armour.

06-21-2004, 03:37 PM

^Dude yo have way to much time on your hands.

Gregg · 06-21-2004, 08:44 PM

Justin refers to the armor the Parthians use to cover their horses as "loricae plumatae," which was almost certainly standard scale armor. "Lorica plumata" has become a convenient label for moderns to use when describing that remarkable mail/scale hybrid the Romans sometimes used, but I don't think the Romans used that label to describe it themselves. 
 
Gregg

06-22-2004, 12:44 AM

I'm inclined to think that the word "plumata" was reserved for scale armour in which the scales were fashioned with medial ridges for additional strength. A full cuirass of these scales is very attractive and gives the distinctive appearance of feathers - hence the term "plumata" (pluma = feather).

ambrosius · 06-26-2004, 12:46 PM

Have to say I agree with Daniel. I was under 
the same impression. Plumata does refer to the 
medial ridges on the scales, and helps distinguish 
them from the regular 'plain' scales. 
 
Good point about the ridge adding rigidity to the 
scale, to improve its protective quality; as well 
as the visual effect of the 'feathered' scales. 
 
For me, Plumata is the most attractive lorica, 
and a neat compromise between the sheer 
protectiveness of Segmentata and the flexibility 
of Hamata (especially for cavalry). 
 
Ambrosius

06-26-2004, 01:52 PM

Hi, I didn't read all the discussion, but about the brestplate the latin names I know for it are "pectorale" or "spongia".

Matthew Amt · 06-26-2004, 04:51 PM

Ave! 
 
Definitely read the whole discussion, Charo, since this is relevant to your post on help with a research project. 
 
It sounds like you've run across some terms from Polybius or another early writer. "Pectorale" is the "heart plate", a round or square breastplate and backplate about 9 inches across, commonly worn by legionaries (and many of Rome's Italian enemies) from about the 5th century BC to the end of the 2nd. I think "spongia" is a reference to a mailshirt, but it might be a case in which we're not even sure if the writer himself was certain of what he was talking about! The more commonly-known word for mail is lorica hamata. 
 
Valete, 
 
Matthew/Quintus

ambrosius · 06-27-2004, 11:06 PM

Sometimes, you see spongia translated as Samnite 
'triple-disc' armour (as used by gladiators). 
 
There is also, though, the 'sponge-on-a-stick'. 
The auxiliaries in the Leg II Aug swear by this as a 
sidearm, tucked into the back of the belt. After the 
discharge of the pila, should the gladius be broken 
or dropped, they recommend withdrawing their 
spongea and flicking it at the enemy. Apparently it 
has a devastating effect at short range. 
 
Ambrosius

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