Lorica Segmentata

Ok, I have another question regarding armour: when was the hilt added to the cranial part of legionary helmets?

I read somewhere that hilted helmets became standard issue along the Danube frontier during the late Augustan period as it provided protection against the Thracian flax.

Is this true?

I think Pantagathus will have something to say about this, I dont think your suggestion is unreasonable, all the reinforcement is to carry a swinging blow down and away from the head or to mitigate and spread impact.

Rome's enemies seemed to spend a lot of time swiping at her Legionaries rather than prodding them, so perhaps the reinforced design is a generic adaption to general combat conditions? "Eyebrows" , cranial reinforcement, flared neck guard , all these things aim to deflect a blow from above-though I will mention also the elaborate ear pieces-not just to allow decisive interpretation of orders but to protect organs greatly esteemed as 1. gateways to the spirit 2. as of being erogenously important.

I believe the modern English term is Segmenta, but in Latin it is Segmentata.

this shot perhaps informs us of the work an attacker would have to do to try and cause damage to a legionary

http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=950

consider this not as an isolated soldier, but as a man in formation and you begin to think perhaps this might be a tricky task.Remembering that the scutum is not just there to display nice capricornae, and could be used as an offensive item also.

Most definitely! A usual skill was bashing the enemy with the shield to throw him backwards.

Ok, I have another question regarding armour: when was the hilt added to the cranial part of legionary helmets?

 

I read somewhere that hilted helmets became standard issue along the Danube frontier during the late Augustan period as it provided protection against the Thracian flax.

 

Is this true?

Hilted helmets were available long before that although perhaps not everywhere. A thick flange of metal along the brow prevented swords from slipping down the front and hacking off your nose. The wide brim at the rear prevented swords from hacking off your head.

this shot perhaps informs us of the work an attacker would have to do to try and cause damage to a legionary

 

http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?act=mo...=si&img=950

 

consider this not as an isolated soldier, but as a man in formation and you begin to think perhaps this might be a tricky task.Remembering that the scutum is not just there to display nice capricornae, and could be used as an offensive item also.

As to the picture, it seems that really the only way to attack him would be to use a shield and deflect the gladius off two the side, while bringing a heavy weapon down on his head.

He's got no Greaves on so i'd try to get my Spear into his ankles,hopefully his Tendons will cut and he'll drop like a stone .If he drops the Scutum to protect his ankles he's vulnerable to a Spear in the face then kick/charge his Scutum into him,once he's on the ground he's finished .

Just trying to put an attacking point of view across

L

Unless I'm thinking of the republican army, didn't they always wear a greave on just the right leg- the one extended?

I dont think Greaves were standard equipment in the Republic or after Marius reformed the Legions.As i understand it Greaves were worn by Centurions and the other high rankers but the standard Legionnaires only wore them if he bought them himself,they werent issued to him.

During Trajen's Dacian campaign the Legionnaires were taking a lot of ankle injuries to the fearsome Falx so Trajen issued Greaves, but i dont know if it was just for that campaign or if they kept on wearing them,im sure some one will enlighten us .

L

Greaves are definitely not standard kit . Certainly as far as re-enaction goes only your top rankers can afford this type of protection. I know we have them as standard Hopliati kit , but this is the elite of the heavy infantry at that time-as a mass produced item I have yet to be convinced as to their use, one must also bear in mind flexibility and weight -anyone whos been in a serious scrap will tell you, protection is great, but speed and flexiblity are lifesavers. The question must be asked -how many enemies have the falxe? Not many, versatility is a virtue against specialisitaion .

Had a look in a few books and it appears the Hastati and Princep's of the Republican Maniples wore a Greave on the left leg,the forward leg in the battle stance.

ok,if he's wearing Greaves i'll try to get my Spear into his face .It is possible,i saw a 'Pict' reenactor showing how to roll the wrist to get the Spear tip around a Shield and up into the head area.

I have a question regarding the Scutums,how popular was this design of shield?Its a Celtic design so i assume there was plenty of them in the Gallic tribes.Did many of Rome's enemy's face them with the same equipment? Its such a fine Shield i would of thought it was a favourite amongst the Warriors of the age.

L

Then either I was thinking of Republican triarii or men in the phalanxes, or both.

Had a look in a few books and it appears the Hastati and Princep's of the Republican Maniples wore a Greave on the left leg,the forward leg in the battle stance.

Unless I'm thinking of the republican army

I was thinking of the republican army! I knew the post-marian legions didn't use greaves. Was the left leg the foreward one? I forgot...

In modern martial arts the left leg is usually forward if you are right handed. I'd think that it was likely the same way in Ancient Rome, because if you are right handed it just feels more natural. Especially if you are holding a sheild in your left hand, it would be more natural to have that leg in front. It's very awkward to hold the sheild in your left hand and hold it forward of your sword while having your right leg in front.

I can see that. I've read about which leg is in front before, I just forgot. In any case, in the post-marian army the centurions were probably the only ones with greaves, like in pertinax's photos.