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Osprey Elite #247
Roman Plate Armour
Fully illustrated, this book investigates the articulated plate armour worn by Roman legionaries.
First named by Renaissance historians studying the reliefs on Trajan's Column, lorica segmentata evaded successful attempts to reconstruct it until a series of important archaeological finds in the 20th century revealed how it worked and the truth of its extended chronology. The earliest finds date from the late 1st century BC, and its discovery at Kalkriese in Germany shows how rapidly it was adopted. At the same time, discoveries in Spain and Britain showed that, despite its apparent fragility, it continued in use into the 4th century AD.
The spectacular find of six halves of cuirasses in a chest at Corbridge in 1964 has now been matched by the rare discovery of a complete set of this armour at Kalkriese. The Corbridge find provided the context to interpret and reconstruct earlier finds. There is now years of experience gleaned from reenactors over the practical strengths and weaknesses of this form of armour. At the same time, scientific analysis has provided insights into the technology behind this revolutionary form of armour so characteristic of the Roman Army. Featuring specially commissioned artwork and drawing upon the latest findings, this study lifts the veil on the formidable plate armour used by the legionaries of Imperial Rome.
First named by Renaissance historians studying the reliefs on Trajan's Column, lorica segmentata evaded successful attempts to reconstruct it until a series of important archaeological finds in the 20th century revealed how it worked and the truth of its extended chronology. The earliest finds date from the late 1st century BC, and its discovery at Kalkriese in Germany shows how rapidly it was adopted. At the same time, discoveries in Spain and Britain showed that, despite its apparent fragility, it continued in use into the 4th century AD.
The spectacular find of six halves of cuirasses in a chest at Corbridge in 1964 has now been matched by the rare discovery of a complete set of this armour at Kalkriese. The Corbridge find provided the context to interpret and reconstruct earlier finds. There is now years of experience gleaned from reenactors over the practical strengths and weaknesses of this form of armour. At the same time, scientific analysis has provided insights into the technology behind this revolutionary form of armour so characteristic of the Roman Army. Featuring specially commissioned artwork and drawing upon the latest findings, this study lifts the veil on the formidable plate armour used by the legionaries of Imperial Rome.
- GenresAncient HistoryHistory
64 pages, Paperback
Published November 22, 2022
5 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
M.C. Bishop
40 books12 followersM. C. Bishop (Mike Bishop) is a freelance writer, publisher, and archaeologist who – among other things – walks, drives, cycles, flies, tweets, blogs, draws, and photographs Hadrian’s Wall. His particular specialities are Roman arms and armor and the Roman site at Corbridge in Northumberland, but he confesses to being at his happiest when working on articles or books (writing, illustrating, editing, copy-editing, typesetting, proofreading, and indexing!).
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 25, 2022
Pardon my ignorance, but I approached M.C. Bishop’s Roman Plate Armour with some scepticism: sixty pages on pointing out the obvious on something any casual observer of the Roman army would know about surely awaited. I was wrong! There is more to this iconic metal, personal defence system than meets the eye in this engaging and wonderfully illustrated little book.
Bishop opens with the often fallacious efforts to reconstruct Roman armour from Trajan’s Column in Rome. Therefore, much of what we thought we knew, we didn’t really, but that has now been rectified by archaeological finds in recent years. Bishop continues with a survey of armour from the Regal period, through the Republican era, and then into the Imperial period where we encounter the most famous of all Roman armour: the lorica segmentata with its familiar bands of metal attached at the back. Here too, however, there are variations in the segmentata, and Bishop walks us through the different types over three chapters. The first is the Kalkriese-type discovered as recently as 2018. Bishop describes the armour and its history, and he follows that method for the Corbridge-type and the Newstead-type. Bishop moves onto other forms of Roman plate armour, which are the hybrid forms; articulated armguards; muscled cuirasses worn by officers; greaves, worn singly on the leg advanced to the enemy; and chamfrons used to protect horses’ heads. How the Romans manufactured, decorated, and maintained their plate armour is our next destination, while the vital question of how this armour was used rounds off Bishop’s survey. He closes by returning to the continuing influence of Trajan’s Column on the legacy of Roman plate armour.
I won’t make any claims that Roman Plate Armour is a riveting read, but it is more interesting than the plain title promises. Bishop explains the nuances of this armour clearly, without disappearing into technical jargon, and his text is accompanied by Osprey’s usual excellent artwork, mostly showing the armour as worn in combat. There are also many photographs of archaeological finds and reconstructions based on them. Students of the Roman army, keen to delve a wee bit deeper into the armour Roman soldiers wore, will get a lot out of Bishop’s book, but even those with a casual interest will find some surprises while enhancing their knowledge and dispelling some myths.
Bishop opens with the often fallacious efforts to reconstruct Roman armour from Trajan’s Column in Rome. Therefore, much of what we thought we knew, we didn’t really, but that has now been rectified by archaeological finds in recent years. Bishop continues with a survey of armour from the Regal period, through the Republican era, and then into the Imperial period where we encounter the most famous of all Roman armour: the lorica segmentata with its familiar bands of metal attached at the back. Here too, however, there are variations in the segmentata, and Bishop walks us through the different types over three chapters. The first is the Kalkriese-type discovered as recently as 2018. Bishop describes the armour and its history, and he follows that method for the Corbridge-type and the Newstead-type. Bishop moves onto other forms of Roman plate armour, which are the hybrid forms; articulated armguards; muscled cuirasses worn by officers; greaves, worn singly on the leg advanced to the enemy; and chamfrons used to protect horses’ heads. How the Romans manufactured, decorated, and maintained their plate armour is our next destination, while the vital question of how this armour was used rounds off Bishop’s survey. He closes by returning to the continuing influence of Trajan’s Column on the legacy of Roman plate armour.
I won’t make any claims that Roman Plate Armour is a riveting read, but it is more interesting than the plain title promises. Bishop explains the nuances of this armour clearly, without disappearing into technical jargon, and his text is accompanied by Osprey’s usual excellent artwork, mostly showing the armour as worn in combat. There are also many photographs of archaeological finds and reconstructions based on them. Students of the Roman army, keen to delve a wee bit deeper into the armour Roman soldiers wore, will get a lot out of Bishop’s book, but even those with a casual interest will find some surprises while enhancing their knowledge and dispelling some myths.
June 8, 2024
If you've only got time for one book on the illustrious Lorica Segmentata, make it this one. Seriously. M.C. Bishop, one of the grand poobahs of Roman military gear, crams a mind-boggling amount of info into this compact tome, giving you the crème de la crème of research as of its publication date.
Now, brace yourself for a couple of debatable points: Bishop argues that eye protection and horse armor were just for equestrian sports. He also downplays the significance of Lorica Segmentata finds in non-legionary outposts, suggesting that only citizen soldiers wore them. The points argued by the author are obviously possible and well defended, but they aren’t truly conclusive.
Some fascinating nuggets you'll unearth include:
• Armguards predated Trajan's Dacian campaigns (though they were all the rage in Adamklissi during those campaigns).
• The fiddly bits—buckles, hooks, and clasps—were so delicate they needed frequent replacements. Roman fashion, am I right?
• The manufacturing involved some serious tech: compression rollers for uniformity and shape, a technique lost for centuries!
• These 1 mm-thick breastplates offered protection equivalent to 2 mm-thick medieval armor. Talk about efficiency!
• Lorica Segmentata pieces were somewhat interchangeable. While not a perfect fit, swapping plates didn't drastically reduce their effectiveness. Different sizes and a bit of style-swapping were not a deal-breaker.
The book delves into the history, description, and variants of Lorica Segmentata, focusing on Kalkriese, Corbridge, and Newstead types. You’ll also find hybrid forms, manicae, muscle cuirasses, greaves, and horse armor. There's even a behind-the-scenes look at the manufacturing process—Roman factories were bustling places, with legionaries and slaves pitching in.
The section on plate armor in use reveals combat scenarios, transportation methods (think of it as ancient flat-packing), versatility, and the legacy left behind. Imagine ancient Romans playing a game of Tetris, stacking those armor pieces just right!
To top it all off, the book is brimming with excellent archaeological drawings, artifact photos, and Giuseppe Rava’s stunning illustrations. You'll find everything from:
• The main types of Lorica Segmentata
• A dramatic attack on a Roman camp at Kalkriese
• The meticulous cleaning of Corbridge-type armor
• Newstead armor discoveries in a well
• The Alba-Iulia type in 3rd century Dacia
• Armguards in 2nd century Dacian combat
• Armor repair at Léon
• Storage methods at Carnuntum
In a nutshell, Roman Plate Armour by M.C. Bishop is a goldmine of knowledge, beautifully illustrated, and sprinkled with just enough controversy to keep things interesting. Whether you're a history buff or just love a good read, this book will have you nodding along as you uncover the secrets of Roman plate armor.
Now, brace yourself for a couple of debatable points: Bishop argues that eye protection and horse armor were just for equestrian sports. He also downplays the significance of Lorica Segmentata finds in non-legionary outposts, suggesting that only citizen soldiers wore them. The points argued by the author are obviously possible and well defended, but they aren’t truly conclusive.
Some fascinating nuggets you'll unearth include:
• Armguards predated Trajan's Dacian campaigns (though they were all the rage in Adamklissi during those campaigns).
• The fiddly bits—buckles, hooks, and clasps—were so delicate they needed frequent replacements. Roman fashion, am I right?
• The manufacturing involved some serious tech: compression rollers for uniformity and shape, a technique lost for centuries!
• These 1 mm-thick breastplates offered protection equivalent to 2 mm-thick medieval armor. Talk about efficiency!
• Lorica Segmentata pieces were somewhat interchangeable. While not a perfect fit, swapping plates didn't drastically reduce their effectiveness. Different sizes and a bit of style-swapping were not a deal-breaker.
The book delves into the history, description, and variants of Lorica Segmentata, focusing on Kalkriese, Corbridge, and Newstead types. You’ll also find hybrid forms, manicae, muscle cuirasses, greaves, and horse armor. There's even a behind-the-scenes look at the manufacturing process—Roman factories were bustling places, with legionaries and slaves pitching in.
The section on plate armor in use reveals combat scenarios, transportation methods (think of it as ancient flat-packing), versatility, and the legacy left behind. Imagine ancient Romans playing a game of Tetris, stacking those armor pieces just right!
To top it all off, the book is brimming with excellent archaeological drawings, artifact photos, and Giuseppe Rava’s stunning illustrations. You'll find everything from:
• The main types of Lorica Segmentata
• A dramatic attack on a Roman camp at Kalkriese
• The meticulous cleaning of Corbridge-type armor
• Newstead armor discoveries in a well
• The Alba-Iulia type in 3rd century Dacia
• Armguards in 2nd century Dacian combat
• Armor repair at Léon
• Storage methods at Carnuntum
In a nutshell, Roman Plate Armour by M.C. Bishop is a goldmine of knowledge, beautifully illustrated, and sprinkled with just enough controversy to keep things interesting. Whether you're a history buff or just love a good read, this book will have you nodding along as you uncover the secrets of Roman plate armor.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews