07-21-2009, 01:07 AM
Quote:FWIW Alan Williams tested two samples of mail. One was a surviving 15th C example. Another was a reconstruction made by Erik. Both samples required 120J to be penetrated by a bodkin-type spike. This tells us nothing about Roman mail but it suggests that McEwan's reconstruction would have little chance of penetrating the two samples tested by Dr Williams.
In fairness, this statement needs some correction. Williams calculated that 120 Joules was required to completely penetrate 15th c. mail (quench hardened mild steel so not equivalent to medieval or Roman mail) AND a padded jack (16 layers of quilted linen), something the Romans almost certainly would not have been equipped with. Williams used a drop tester rather than a bow, and the arrow head form was akin to the short squat bodkin type (something like a late medieval type eight, which some believe was developed in the late 14th c. to counter plate armor). He did not test the type 16 broadhead or type 7 needle bodkin, the two most common arrowheads of the age of mail. IIRC, the modern mail without padding behind it was penetrated at 80 Joules, and modern mail with a padded jack behind were penetrated at 100 joules.
At the ranges the Parthian horse archers were probably able to approach the Romans at Carrhae, penetration seems quite possible with an 80 lb composite bow, though other factors would clearly have played a role.
Gregg
