How well armoured was the Roman army?

[magister clarissimus]

especially in times of long lasting wars or civil wars bodyarmour was probably poor or not in use at all. in Sallusts Bellum Catilinae (caput 56) we read that in some legions only a quarter of the men was equipped with armis militaribus. the others were equipped only with sudae (a long piece of hardened wood) or types of lances that were primarily used for hunting animals. conclusively the armis militaribus are gladius and pilum. body armour is not mentioned at all, but the description leaves little to the imagination about its quality...