Lorica hamata / segmentata

[Theodosius the Great]

I keep hearing about how a segmentata is supposed to be bad on horseback, but how can that be? It only comes down to the waist, and doesn't get anywhere near the legs.

Is one of the riders wearing seg shoulder pieces on mail or scale armour? It had something to do with the extreme discomfort of a full seg on horseback IIRC. Mail and scale are far more flexible than seg, and when you use your body and legs to control a horse with your legs spread out, the seg ends up digging into your hips continually.

If we're to believe the Trajanic frieze in this photo (high resolution) the cavalry certainly did wear segmented armor. The two cavalrymen in the extreme right of the panel are definately wearing segs (I've seen it from a different angle). And the two cavalymen behind them in the center of the frieze are wearing hamata and scale.

But this may just be a device by the sculptor to differentiate the Legionary or Praetorian cavalry from the Auxiliary cavalry.

~Theo