New discovery: loricas segmentatas Leon, Spain

[Flavivs Aetivs]

From what I've read, lorica segmentata was still in use down to mid third century. I'd assume a lot of the old equipment was lost for good in the disasters of 251-260, and had to be replaced quickly and as cheaply as possible at a time of diminished resources. Ergo mail and scale replaced lorica segmentata. Another factor was the difficulty of maintaining as well as producing LS. By 4rth century what was left may have been stowed to avoid repair costs due to frequent breakage and "rust traps."

That's indeed what I think but alas it's not proven to have been the case. If the segmentata was so difficult to maintain that how can we consider it to have survived for a century as standard issue? I seriously consider the theory that in some parts of the empire they continued to make this sort of armour. After all, the Roman army was no modern type army and there was no 'standard' as we would consider that today. Different types of armour were inuse and could have been produced (in theory) without one replacing the other.

As far as I know, until the establishment of the Fabricae the LEgions were supplied with private buisness's armor. The locals, it seems, would continue making what they knew how to make. Ie in the east the locals oftentimes were used to making scale, so scale would be common, and in gaul the locals were used to chainmail, so chainmail would be common.

The Romans used whatever the Locals knew to make, so if they were making Sgmentata still, then the Romans used it.

Just my 2 cents