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

[Tribune Valerius]

My, this is a lengthy thread. Some random, related thoughts on this topic, from one who currently has several musculatae.

Lastly, I wrote up a short essay on the possibility that Roman Officers wore chain maile under their leather cuirass when in battle. The logic being... infantry wore chain maile, the Centurions would wear maile but placed decorated leather straps over it, so then... logically, an officer would wear maile and place his leather muscle armor over it as well. -Anthony, 03/31

This is highly doubtful IMO. Both hamata and bronze musculata afford different advantages and disadvantages. In this case, the wonderful flexibility of the maille would be completely negated by the inflexibility of the solid cuirass strapped down over it.

First, roman emperor's didn't lead their troops into battle. They commanded from behind the front lines, and let their centurions do the dirty work. -Matt/Magnus, 03/31

[color=darkblue]Just to keep our history straight, some did. Valerian was captured by the Persians [where he was so ignominiously skinned afterward], and Valens was killed in action trying to throw the Visigoths back across the Danube. Constantine’s father (of the later-Roman “Augustusâ€