Leather Armor? (NO HOLDS BARRED!!)

[Theodosius the Great]

Hi Graham,

I looked in Bishop and Coulston who mention the quote but turns out do not give the reference from Pliny the Elder!

Oh, "the Elder" ! I don't have his works, I thought it was the Younger. :oops: Thanks for looking it up, though

I just think it odd in this case that the reference to leather armour being useless when wet is seen as evidence that leather armour did not exist full stop, rather than it existed but was useless when wet.

Understandable. But it isn't apparent to me why attributing the use of leather armor to the Roman army is the most probable explanation. For example, why is it not equally possible that he was describing gladiatorial armor ? Maybe it (they ?) was a novelty.

Another alternative I was pondering was the possibility that Pliny was observing the native customs of a certain province that he was either visiting or in charge of administering at the time.

In any case, I don't have enough information about the context of his observation.

the Romans frequently repaired and also recycled their leather. It was certainly easier to replace boots for example, rather than repair them unless circumstances dictated otherwise.

In the case of leather armor how likely is it that Romans would've been wearing leather armor that had stitches all over it ? The idea conjures up an unattractive image doesn't it ? Image seems to have been a high priority for legionaries (which was discussed on a recent thread).

Besides "image", I'm dubious about leather armor retaining its original strength after being repaired. This isn't an issue with metal armor.

The soldiers on the other hand seem to have put up with all those lorica segmentata hinges and buckles dropping off for over two hundred years, so far without any recorded complaint.

I think that helps illustrate my point. When the Pax Romana ended, the entire Roman army ceased being a peace-time force, permanently. Early during the ensuing, military turmoil the army ditched segs due to their high maintenence. When there's no peace there's little time to devote to constantly repairing shotty armor.

But, somehow, leather armor is thought to have outlived segmented armor ? How is this belief reconciled with the army's abandonment of segs ?

On another matter do you have any more information regarding the exhibition in San Francisco?

I'll PM you on this soon, Graham.

~Theo