

Roman Lorica
Segmentata tie hook armor armour

 |
Material
|
Bronze/ Copper Alloy |
Dimensions |
2.7cm long x 1.4cm wide |
Roman Empire |
1st to early 2nd
Century AD |
Description |
|
A section
of a Lorica Segmentata attachments for the Corbridge style of segmented
plate armor. The standard armor for the Roman Legionary during Rome's
prime.
This piece
was for specific area of the armor that required a string to lace up the
front segments of the armor. Much like shoelace eyelets would be used for
today on a pair of military boots. A rivet hole is still visible yet part
of rear section of the fragile eyelet is missing.
This shoe
lace system again complicated the armor to a level where it required high
maintenance and a lot of work to initially put it on.
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)(4)
Click on Pictures for higher resolution
 Reverse View |

Examples of similar
buckles & attachments |
|

(1) Reference: Thomas, M.D.
(2003), "Lorica segmentata, A catalogue of finds", JRMES Monograph
No.2(Chirnside).
(2) References to
similar items: FEUGERE, Michel; Weapons of the Romans, page
103 2002.
(3) References to
similar items: CONNOLLY, Peter; The Legionary, page 24 2000.
(4) References to
similar items: CONNOLLY, Peter; Greece and Rome at War, page 229-230 1998.
*Image of Segmentata by
P.CONNOLLY
**Note on background.
Close up view of the wall of the Colosseum of Pula, Croatia.
Picture taken 2014