Leather Cuirass Lorica Musculata, I used to think no way but

[Dan Howard]

Leather doesn't BEND Jim, especially ones that have been formed, or painted. You know what happens then, it cracks all to hell. Both the paint, AND the leather. Bye bye to your nice smooth surface. There's no way in hell they used leather...if the "pro leather" people are basing their evidence on the flimsy musculatas shown in art (which all indicate that they are painted), they're going to have to do a LOT better than that.

Agreed completely. Show me a piece of leather that is flexible and yet able to withstand a sword thrust. Show me a piece of leather that has been formed and worked into the musculata typology and still flexes like those in the sculptures. Show me some Roman paint that doesn't crack and flake off when its foundation is creased. All three of these need to be demonstrated for the "pro leather" crowd to prove their case.