Lorica hamata / segmentata

[M. CVRIVS ALEXANDER]

One could dispute the above statement on the grounds that it was difficult to hammer out a thin plate without using a multiple-tonne hammer, since iron would hardly compress beyond a certain point. That difficulty would also be exacerbated by the necessity to have the plate - especially if it was a larger piece - evenly heated for the hammering. So, in my view, the statement that

The amount of labour required just to make bloomery iron wire is way higher than anything involved in the making segmented plates

requires further investigation.