Leather Armor? (NO HOLDS BARRED!!)

[Graham Sumner]

Lots of questions raised hope the following helps.

Graham, the arguments against are usually based on its properties as actual armour, and there have been those who have pointed out that hardening was not an option to the Romans. How does your archaeologist believe this was done?

I think the main objection is lack of hard evidence. However it would be naive to think that every piece of leather found, even in recent times has been properly identified, cataloged and illustrated and then published or put on display in a museum. Given the recent standard reference works on Roman armour I think it would be a brave archaeologist indeed who found a piece of leather which was clearly not a boot and thought mmm..... armour. I should have asked how it was made but I simply accepted that it was and that pieces of leather can be moulded into shape as well. As there is obviously a great interest in this subject all I can do is ask again.

For the time being J.P Waterer from the Museum of Leathercraft had this to say in 'Roman Crafts' eds Strong and Brown, 1976. " Leather could be made firm by rolling or hammering........it could be made tough yet pliable by impregnating it with dubbin, a mixture of cod-oil and tallow. leather... made water resistant with oil or grease. .......objects intended to hold liquids such as bottles, flasks, buckets, pitchers or tankards lined with pitch or natural resin.

The question is, if you had to illustrate an entire legion for an illustration, or even a cohort, would you feel comfortable depicting them wearing leather armour and would it only be restricted to a certain period? What we often see from Hollywood and Cinecittà would have us believe it was standard issue.

Much as I personally would like to, I think it would be equally misleading to show an entire Roman army of any period looking virtually identical. Although having said that in the early third century they seem to be getting there. I have already illustrated soldiers in leather or linen armour and there are more examples in the new book. Hollywood does show the same armour worn throughout the Roman era as can be seen in the latest offering 'The Last Legion'. However Roman artists do too so can you really blame them.

let me give you my tall riding boots after a day's riding....and a nose peg!

No thanks!

As for sweating, leather does not breathe, it gets very hot under the sun, almost unbearable to hold if left out

.

Whereas iron........ :wink:


I have come across one of the last traditional leather manufactures in the UK. I will contact them if you like and ask their opinions about hardening leather and it's possible use as armour. However the idea of leather armour did not seem to be a problem to Mark Beaby who is the leather worker for the Royal Armouries. He has made leather helmets for example.

Pliny said Hippopotamus armour was useless when wet. Is that evidence that leather armour was never used or evidence that at least Hippopotamus armour existed and that it was useless when wet ?

Let's assume it's from Roman Egypt for the moment. (It sure is irritating when archaeologists give themselves a wide window when dating an artifact. The leather fragments in question could date from the reign of Constantine or as late as the reign of Justinian. Almost a 300 year span to play with.)

My example was just to show that some leather armour existed, now you want to know what is the exact date, there is just no pleasing some people!

Interesting comments and even teasing us with pteryges

Naturally I did ask permission to use a picture but no joy. Sadly I will have to wait like everyone else.

Graham.