How much could an average Roman soldier carry?

[TheMexican1821]

I want to know if a Roman soldier could carry a Spatha, Helmet, Greaves, a Lorica Hamata, trousers, boots, a long sleeve tunic, a round shield, and a Lorica Musculata over the Lorica Hamata. Can this be worn comfortably, if a soldier exercises, and is fit.

[jvrjenivs]

As a start it is interesting to know what period and what type of soldier you're interested in, as there can be big differences. Here I will just elaborate with the preposition you mean a Roman soldier of the later roman empire, as you mention trousers, spatha and round shield.

If so you're list is almost correct, although I don't know of any clear source for a musculata over a hamata. The sources for squamata (scale) over hamata are better. Still, this makes a heavy armoured soldier, so better used in close static front line combat, instead of mobile skirmishing forces.

[Nathan Ross]

Lorica Musculata over the Lorica Hamata.

As Jurjen says, there would be no need to wear a cuirass over mail - the musculata itself would be an adequate torso defence, and with the bulk of the mail and the padding beneath it the cuirass would need to be very large to fit over the top!

I'm not sure about wearing scale over mail either - is there evidence for this?

Otherwise this armour would be fine for a later infantryman. Greaves would probably only be worn by front-line troops in battle. The soldier would also be carrying a spear and/or two light javelins, and possibly a number of plumbata as well. You can find pictures of reenactors wearing this kind of assembly, and many of them are (I would guess) significantly less fit that the average Roman soldier!

However, it does seem that later troops usually only wore armour in battle - there are depictions of soldiers on the march or in camp wearing tunics and pannonian caps, with equipment and armour carried on wagons.

[Robert Vermaat]

Ismael, we did this discussion already on the RAT FB page. I think the conclusion was that you wished this to be true while I tried to bring the message across that only cavalry wore layers of armour on top of each other.

My point is still the same: infantry did not wear a musculata over a hamata because, as Nathan said, it was probably unnecessary because a hamata (over a subarmalis) would be sufficient. Moreover, it would probably be too heavy in battle, even if you can argue that a modern man can wear this - I doubt that he can wear this on a hot day, after a march to a battlefield and during a battle that lasts hours. Soldiers had a very good idea what would bring them through a battle alive, and that's probably the reason why we do not see this in any evidence. Cavalry yes, infantry no.

[agrimensor]

Robert, couldn't it be some kind of leather jerkin worn over the hamata, in medieval times they seem to work against arrowhits. as told that crusaders looked like hedgehogs.

[Flavivs Aetivs]

I know in the east they would wear scale/lamellar over chainmail sometimes, but I don't think that was until the 6th century.

[Gaius Colletti]

Ishmael, I personally find Muscularata to be uncomfortably rigid and limiting in movement. There is a reason it appears to be only used by officers or for artwork. Not something you want to march up to 18 miles a day in, on top of all your other gear

[Nathan Ross]

Not something you want to march up to 18 miles a day in, on top of all your other gear

I suspect musculata only became common for infantrymen in the later empire, by which time soldiers apparently marched in their tunics and only put on armour for battle...

[Robert Vermaat]

Robert, couldn't it be some kind of leather jerkin worn over the hamata, in medieval times they seem to work against arrowhits. as told that crusaders looked like hedgehogs.

It existed during the Middle Ages, but did it exist in Roman times? Romans also had no buttoned shirts, heels or stirrups..
There is a 'Libyan Hide' that's supposed to be worn over the armour, but not as protection against arrows, but against moisture..

[TheMexican1821]

How did you find me here, I am not surprised hahahaha, but yea I just don't like some of the Barbarian uniforms the late Roman army wore, the helmets, etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbE9O7_EwLY

The Roman soldiers in that seem to be wearing what I was saying, except wearing the mail under, although I do wish to experiment with it one day, when I buy all the equipment, you seem to make mail seem heavier than it actually is. I have a friend who owns mail and says he takes it to work, and jogging, and it isn't as heavy as when your not wearing it. Because it distributes evenly throughout your body. The Musculata hangs from your shoulders, I hope to experiment with this sometime in the future, like try fighting in it, running in it. Marching, and all sorts of other things.