Lorica Segmentata Buckle

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Roman Lorica Segmentata chest buckle armor armour

Date Acquired  2004
Location Discovered Balkans
Material  Bronze/ Copper Alloy
Dimensions 3.3cm long x 2.2cm wide
Roman Empire 2nd or 3rd Century AD
Description  

A section of a Lorica Segmentata buckle for the Corbridge style of segmented plate armor. The standard armor for the Roman Legionary during Rome's prime.

This piece is only the front section and the hinge indicates that it matches to an unknown rear section.  The front section has a rivet matching the complete examples already in the collection.

This type of armor had many advantages over scale mail and chain mail, primarily being that it could withstand much harder impacts from pointed weapons while still allowing a good amount of flexibility. The only inherent weakness, at least on these earlier versions was that all the buckles and hinges could easily break and required constant repair. Furthermore the leather straps trapped in moisture on the iron, making it harder to keep corrosion free. This early version was also relatively hard to put on and invariably required a second person to do the buckles up. It was not until the Newstead type that the buckles, hinges and laces were largely done away with. (1)(2)(3)

 

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Examples of similar buckles & attachments

                   

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(1) References to similar items: FEUGERE, Michel; Weapons of the Romans, page 103 2002.

(2) References to similar items: CONNOLLY, Peter; The Legionary, page 24 2000.

(3) References to similar items: CONNOLLY, Peter; Greece and Rome at War, page 229-230 1998.

*Image of Segmentata by P.CONNOLLY

**Note on background. A Fresco from the ancient Roman City of Pompeii. The interior walls of a wealthy Roman's Estate 79AD. Picture taken July 2005.