Silver Squamata?

[Renatus]

What ceremonies required the wearing of scale armor in the Roman Empire or Republic? I know of none.

One has to get oneself into the Roman mind-set and consider what 'ceremonies' might require the wearing of a decorative imitation of battlefield armour. All I can think of are the lusus Troiae, hippika gymnasia and, in the later Empire, armatura (Vegetius, 1.13; 2.23), all of which seem to be some form of mock battle.

[caiusbeerquitius]

Where di you read that?

---

Renatus, to call that "ceremonies" is a bit far-fetched, no? ;-)

[Damianus Albus]

That's the thing. I found it accidently when I was looking for something else.
Not a chance to find it again.

[Renatus]

Where di you read that?

---

Renatus, to call that "ceremonies" is a bit far-fetched, no? ;-)

I tend to agree; a better word for them would be 'exhibitions'. They are, perhaps, more 'ceremonial' than immediately practical but they do demonstrate skills that could be transferrable to the battlefield. The references for lusus Troiae and hippika gymnasia are Vergil, Aeneid, 5.545-603 and Arrian, Texnh Taktikh, 34-43 respectively.

[Renatus]

A further thought: perhaps we should not get too hung up on the word 'ceremony' and think more on the sort of 'occasions' upon which such imitation armour might have been worn. I can think only of the mock battles that I have mentioned, which is limited to say the least.