Bracelets

[Geoff5]

I was wondering. As the legions continued on their marches and after battles in Briton, 43ad to 60ad, encountering the locals and after victories, would it have been acceptable for a legionary to wear a bracelet of one kind or another, during his service, whether the bracelet be of Roman or Celtic origin?

Ta, very much, thanks.
Geoff.

[Alanus]

I don't know about Roman soldiers, but us barbarians wore various bracelets. They are often found in Celtic and Alanic graves, along with the usual pottery and weapons. I wear a bronze torque-styled bracelet with gryphon heads. I seems appropriate for a Roxolanus.

[1493541]

Im no expert, but it seems that if torcs were taken as loot then the legions could possibly find themselves with some shiny new bracelets after a nice victory.

[Crispvs]

The only problem with that is that 'bracelets' in the form of armiliae were military awards akin to modern medals although we are unsure of what basis they were awarded on. Given this fact, I think it unlikely that Roman soldiers would have worn bracelets in a casual way. In any case, as Graham Sumner pointed out on another thread recently, the Romans tended to think of bracelets as a feminine thing. As far as I can see then, the Romans though of bracelets (feminine), which were worn around the wrist by women, and armiliae (military and masculine), which were worn around the wrist by men who had done whatever it took to earn them.

If you are starting out, I wouldn't worry too much about getting yourself armiliae (I've been doing this for eighteen years and I don't have any) and I would give bracelets of any other sort a very wide birth. The same goes for torcs. Again, they were awarded as military decorations and seem to have been worn in pairs on a band which was hung around the neck so that they hung at about the position of the collar bones, not on the wrist.

Crispvs

[Geoff5]

Thank you for your information.

Geoff.