It's unlikely that we are going to be able to convince one another, so this argument seems futile until more evidence is discovered. All that we truly know was the armor was very popular in the legions prior to the Crisis of the Third Century. This is a time that I think was assuredly much more prosperous and robust than the later centuries. I think the academically accepted modern viewpoint, discussed by M.C. Bishop who has posted here, is correct. You guys do not agree with me.
I only have one quote from someone who took some hits with the armor from another forum:
I'm thin and kind of wonder about the assertion about "difficulty" breathing if it were worn by somebody who was shorter, and probably much more fit than today's humans, whom are fed and get much less exercise. It's quite obvious this armor had some very good qualities, otherwise it wouldn't have been used by the very best soldiers the Romans had for a very long time. Much longer than the time-span in which we have used the modern rifle.
I only have one quote from someone who took some hits with the armor from another forum:
Quote: There's a big difference between "help" and "solve". Chain mail tends to put a lot of strain on the shoulders, and although a belt can reduce the pull from the sections below, the upper part is still almost entirely hanging from the shoulders and the lower section (which can vary considerably in length) will still exert some pull, which can be quite a bit at times as you move. That "pull" was comparatively minor in the Segmentata, where the semi-rigid upper lames effectively rested against the chest to some degree, spreading out the contact area and requiring less support from above.
When struck with a blunt object (a rattan SCA sword), a suit of chain mail distributed the impact vertically to a moderate degree (chain mail has a "grain", and flexes more in one direction than the other), but you could tell exactly where you were hit, and still feel it to a moderate degree through the underlying padded gambeson. Segmented armor transferred most of the shock from the lame which was struck to the lames that it partially overlapped, so I wasn't entirely sure where it hit, just some pressure in a general area. The gambeson was far thinner than the one I wore with the chain. Whack! "Does that hurt?" "No, I couldn't feel it." I was quite surprised at the result.
I'm thin and kind of wonder about the assertion about "difficulty" breathing if it were worn by somebody who was shorter, and probably much more fit than today's humans, whom are fed and get much less exercise. It's quite obvious this armor had some very good qualities, otherwise it wouldn't have been used by the very best soldiers the Romans had for a very long time. Much longer than the time-span in which we have used the modern rifle.
Christopher Vidrine, 30
