Caesars Armor

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Touche, but don't forget the armor in the Arena was also made to be used in combat, even if choreographed.

[Pointer]

I didn't realize the Roman's had Bottled water! Wow... where have I been? LOL

[Dan Howard]

Evianus Aquaticus.

[ANTONIVS MAGNVS]

Regarding Caesars Armor: It is said that Augustus took Alexanders armor for himself, when he was visiting Alexandria.
Why he shouldn't than kept Caesars armor?
I think it would also be symbolic if he would wear this armor, since a lot of his soldiers were veterans that served Caesar...

He didn't keep Caesar's armor because he was nowhere near Rome when Caesar was killed. He was a mere "boy". Antony being the Consul took control of all of Caesar's affairs. Remember when Octavian finally arrived in Rome he raised the money himself to make the donations to the people promised in Caesar's will. Antony was in control of everything including Caesar's papers and seals naming future Consuls and Governors. However there is no mention of Antony keeping or even disposing of Caesar's armor but it is highly likely it came into his possession.

[Urselius]

To return to the original question. Caesar's blood-stained toga would have been a much more immediately talismanic item than his armours. As for the fate of his armours, well Augustus built a temple in the Forum, near the temple of Vesta, dedicated to the deified Julius Caesar, presumably some of his relics would have been consecrated and deposited there - possibly including armour.

[Gunthamund Hasding]

well toga burned together with half of curia when Marcus Antonius had a nice funeral speech for Caesar, and the "liberators" had to run away

we do have at least some statues with Caesar in armor:
https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6076/6151...beca0f.jpg
even this one much better
http://ancientrome.ru/art/artwork/sculp/...iul099.jpg

no idea about the helmet though, he did had one I bet, will need to reread him to see what he states. I remember about palludamentum when he swam with it in one hand in Egypt

[AMELIANVS]

Regarding the praetorians relief: I think its the wrong thing to put it as an example, it is known that praetorians wore exactly the same armor and equipment as the legions ( and also civil clothes)
The armor on the relief is parade armor.


Regarding Caesars Armor: It is said that Augustus took Alexanders armor for himself, when he was visiting Alexandria.
Why he shouldn't than kept Caesars armor?
I think it would also be symbolic if he would wear this armor, since a lot of his soldiers were veterans that served Caesar...

1)It is not known.It is only inconclusive theory based on inconclusive evidence.The same for that relief-nobody can say with certainity that it is only a parade armour and even idea of the parade armours used by the Roman army is doubtful.

2)Once again-Caesar definitely had many different suits of armour not just a single one armour only.

[Urselius]

"When the funeral was announced, a pyre was erected in the Field of Mars near the tomb of Julia. In front of the rostra] was placed a gilded shrine, made after the model of the temple of Venus Genetrix. Within was a bier of ivory with coverlets of purple and gold, and at its head a pillar hung with the robe in which he was slain." - Suetonius.
It isn't clear that the robe was burnt with the body of Caesar, but it certainly was not on the body.

[Youngster]

To return to the original question. Caesar's blood-stained toga would have been a much more immediately talismanic item than his armours. As for the fate of his armours, well Augustus built a temple in the Forum, near the temple of Vesta, dedicated to the deified Julius Caesar, presumably some of his relics would have been consecrated and deposited there - possibly including armour.

This sounds more "Roman" to me, as I have rarely heard of Romans keeping arms for talisminic purposes, but they did se some value in dedicating such arms to temples, at least in triumph. Likewise, the Romans valued taking the weapons of a defeated enemy. I would not be surprised if some of Ceasar's goods "disappeared" after his death, only to end up as trophy for one of his many enemies.

Dan also raise a good point about fit of the armor. Muscle armor needs a precise fit to be comfortable. Suetonius, chapter 1, 45, describes Ceasar as being tall, and in c. 2, 79, says that Augustus was short. If this was the case, it is unlikely that the armor would fit right. If Augustus merely had the armor, but did nothing with it, it may not have been of any note, so no historians mentioned it.

[Gaius Colletti]

[quote="Urselius" post=359548]

Dan also raise a good point about fit of the armor. Muscle armor needs a precise fit to be comfortable. Suetonius, chapter 1, 45, describes Ceasar as being tall, and in c. 2, 79, says that Augustus was short. If this was the case, it is unlikely that the armor would fit right. If Augustus merely had the armor, but did nothing with it, it may not have been of any note, so no historians mentioned it.

It has been a few years since I looked into this, but when I last was checking sources, it put Caesar's height being 5'7" and Augustus' being 5'6"

Suetonius is the only one to my knowledge that described Augustus being insecure about his height and wearing larger soled shoes

[Youngster]

What source gives those heights? I would not be surprised if height was part of Augustus's official propaganda. Even today, celebrities and politicians do their best to appear taller. If Augustus was the first to exaggerate his height, he certainly would not be the last.