How late was the Lorica Hamata Used?

[Marcus Ginintonicus]

Hi,

I'm wondering how late the Lorica Hamata would have been seen in Britain? Would it still be around when the Romans cleared out? I'm thinking about genning up a just-post-Roman British kit and want to be right.

Thanks!

[martijn.wijnhoven]

Darren,

The lorica hamata (or rather mail armour) wasn’t abandoned when the Romans left Britain. It was used well into renaissance Britain, just as in other European countries alike.

I just realise that you may be referring to the stereotypical Roman model consisting of a sleeveless mail shirt with shoulders doublers . This went out of style during the second century AD (although a fastener used for holding the doublers together was retrieved from Dura Europos and could be an indication of continued use into the third century).

For a post-Roman mail shirt you should go with a model that reaches unto mid-thigh and has short sleeves. As for the rings, it should consist of alternating rows of riveted and solid rings.

Cheers,
Martijn

[Marcus Ginintonicus]

Yes, I was thinking of the one with the doublers, and the little bronze (brass?) holders for them...I expect that I'll go with the shirt you describe. Thank you!

[john roberts]

It might be said that the lorica hamata never went out of use. The Romans had it in one form or another from at least the second century BC until the end of the Empire. In essence, the hamata was simply a shirt of mail, which was used continuously with very little change from the invention of mail until the 17th century, when the use of body armor went out of use with rare exceptions. The form that is recognizably "Roman" is the sleeveless or short-sleeved type with Greek-style shoulder doublings, giving the armor the Hellenistic appearance so prized during Rome's rise to power. The doublings were abandoned sometime in the 2nd century and sleeves grew longer until by the end of the Empire the hamata had the haubergeon - style appearance we associate with the Migration/early medieval periods. But the hamata never went completely out of use.

[Marcus Ginintonicus]

Thank you both! As I have a source for the shirt that seems to work, I also wonder if the V-neck is completely wrong? Does it need a round or a boat-neck? Not impossible to fix if it does...

[martijn.wijnhoven]

To my knowledge the V-neck isn’t supported by (iconographical) evidence for the period you want to portray. Mind you, there isn’t much evidence in general for the post-Roman period. Since only partial mail remnants have been found and no entire shirts, we do not really know if the neck should be round or not.

[Gaius Colletti]

What kind of V neck are we talking about Marcus? A triangle shaped neck, or a giant "V" neck?

[Marcus Ginintonicus]

No, just about what it would be if you went with mail all the way up to the base of the neck (so no getting it over your head) and then took out links in a triangular area in the front until you could get it over your head.