Leather Lorica Segmentata

[Dan Howard]

How effective was a hoplite armour BTW against piercing, IIRC that was compressed linen (please correct me if i'm wrong).

http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic.php?t=2630

[Mitra]

wooden armour??? there's a thought.... : a wooden segmentata!

Biodegradable armour, the roman are true ecologists

[Graham Sumner]

pelgr003 wrote:
wooden armour??? there's a thought.... : a wooden segmentata!

Well, they had cloaks made from bark as documented in the Vindolanda writing tablets!

Graham.

[Caballo]

Yes- the bark cloaks always suprised me, although they were made and worn by native americans and in Papua New Guinea in living memory.
Pic below from 1914 showing a woven cedar bark cloak.

Looks hard wearing and waterproof!
Cheers

Caballo

[Tarbicus]

And mosshair crests :wink:

[Caballo]

"And mosshair crests"- absolutely!
Late last night, I finally tracked down a picture of the mosshair crest found at Newstead by Curle- virtually identical to the Vindolanda one.

Curle thought it might be an unfinished basket, but unless basketry was a favourite leisure activity of Roman soldiers (culminating in "Oh, I can't be bothered to finish this one...I'm off to guard duty") I don't find this likely.

A helmet attachment seems more probable (more in an article later- a joint Peronis/ Caballo production).

Cheers

Caballo
PS Does anyone know what units were stationed at Newstead- it would really help the research?

[Dan Howard]

"Bark cloth" has been in use by many cultures since before the Bronze Age. Initially it was used to make clothing but later it was used to make armour. Some scholars incorrectly call it "paper" armour. I can't recall the Chinese term but in Korea it was called jigap. Not only was it waterproof but it apparently provided good protection from the cold. Fig and Mulberry were common barks used. I read one paper which claimed that Adam and Eve were initially described wearing "fig bark" clothing but it was later misinterpreted as "fig leaves"