Corbridge A Breastplates - to cross or not cross diagonally?

[sulla felix]

I must mention to Svlla, that if one looks at the exploded views shown by Mark Downes. The top plate of the three at the rear has an angle to it, this is what keeps the shoulder plates with a verticle overlap. Then when we look at the front breastplates in exploded view, we find that the top of each plate has rightangle corners. If we change these angles to lets say, 88' and 92' as opposed to 90..90, then we can control the overlap of the front breast plates. there is also that in doing so we do not alter the slope of the shoulder in any way. I would also add, similar to what Tony Drake has mentioned, one dose not want to have Lorica plates that look as though they have gone through a modern rolling mill. This is where I also hammer my plates into curves, one achieves what is known as Stressed metal. Indeed I can make 22 gauge as strong as 18 g by doing so, as were the Corbridge plates.

I do see what you mean Brian (and sorry I missed this post somehow!), however, the point is that the neck cut outs for the surviving breastplates simply are not designed to hang vertically and accomodate somebody's neck IMHO! (See the pencil neck references above). Granted that you can of course make them hang that way, but only if you ignore the evidence and make the neck cut out wider than the artefacts, and in most cases make the breast plates much wider than the artefacts.

I was also under the impression that analysis of surviving plates demonstrates that they had not been stress hardened/hammered and were in fact soft iron. The theory is that this is deliberate to allow the armour to absorb more of the force from a blow? Maybe new evidence has come to light which challenges this though?

[Tarbicus]

I'm posting this pic again to illustrate what happens when real breastplates, not modern reconstructions, are aligned vertically:



They would either not be able to be fastened at all, or would kill the legionary inside.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Nice drawing!

[Tarbicus]

It's a Mike Bishop drawing that I modified. If you want it removed, mike, let me know.

[Magnus]

alter the slope of the shoulder in any way. I would also add, similar to what Tony Drake has mentioned, one dose not want to have Lorica plates that look as though they have gone through a modern rolling mill.

Why? I couldn't care less.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

You have such high standards Magnus..... :roll: :lol:

[Magnus]

I prefer to think of them as realistic in terms of having a life outside of this lol.

[marsvigilia]

alter the slope of the shoulder in any way. I would also add, similar to what Tony Drake has mentioned, one dose not want to have Lorica plates that look as though they have gone through a modern rolling mill.

Why? I couldn't care less.

I believe there has been speculation from David Sim among others that the Romans may have had the technology to roll steel. Not in 4x8 foot sheets obviously.

[Magnus]

Matt Lukes was also mentioning something about that as well, based on some of his artifacts.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I prefer to think of them as realistic in terms of having a life outside of this lol.

Never hock:

[brennivs - tony drake]

I will refer to a earlier comment I made
David ask me what my thoughts were on rolling mills and I agreed with him hence my use of the term modern rolling.I have in my work shop pre 1879 wrought iron, with the milling scale on while the surface is smooth it has slight imperfections in it. We must consider wether they used stone or iron rollers,and the purity of iron and if surface contaminants are present, will mark the surface especially milling scale comeing off and going through the rollers,and would they have surface finishing machines to remove the milling scale like the finish we get today.Here is a pic of the iron plate.

Regards Brennivs

[Matt Lukes]

Exactly- that's what I found on several sheet copper alloy segmentata fittings: parallel lines that were clearly not caused by any abrasive treatment, but rather matched well with the mill marks I found even on modern sheet brass...

[Magnus]

Many of those imperfections after being "cleaned" with abrassives like pumice would eventually be removed though correct?

[brennivs - tony drake]

I suppose Magnvs if you had polished the lines and bumps out you may be due a new Lorica, also would they leave the mill scale on for rust protection :?:
Regards Brennivs

[Marcus Caecilius Avitus]

Salvete Omnes,

Just to drag up an old thread... I'm making a new seg and want to go right back to the starting point for ultimate accuracy. The most important thing now is to get some accurate dimensions for the shoulder plates including angles.

So far I've struggled to find it simply laid down from an original source. Lot's of pictures and diagrams. Plenty of 'versions of' but I want to get as close as possible to the original Corbridge A (albeit one of the different cuirasses averaged out or something).

Question is can anyone recommend andy good sources (excluding the prohibitively expensive book by Mike Bishop - Sorry Mike my pockets just aren't that deep )