08-30-2016, 01:02 AM
Ok. Regardless of the armor type, and the vulnerabilities, Roman soldiers were considered extremely well armored up until the advent of chainmail sleeves, coifs, leggings? What are the earliest historical known examples of armor that covered an entire body? It certainly existed by the 10th century.
Also, I have an an article from a recent dig from a very wealthy town in Northern Europe. The defenders were very well armored, having the best mail/equipment of the day. One soldier had both legs cleaved clean off, slightly above the knee, through mail (that covered his legs) by a Dane axe. Obviously you couldn't wear padding under armor on your extremities, so those vulnerabilities were vulnerabilities until the advent of plate, I would think?
Still, to say that mail was completely resistant to certain attacks? It's a fantastic article. In it, he concludes that medieval warfare was incredibly violent and bloody and that lines may have had some degree of separation (i.e. a standoff distance) kind of like two boxers, and it wasn't just men constantly forced to fight for their life for minutes at a time like we think.
You'd need a lot of room to swing a Dane axe at thigh level in a side swipe after all... A LOT of the graves at that dig had limbs cleaved clean off, or huge gashing wounds, and they were buried in their armor I think.
Also, I have an an article from a recent dig from a very wealthy town in Northern Europe. The defenders were very well armored, having the best mail/equipment of the day. One soldier had both legs cleaved clean off, slightly above the knee, through mail (that covered his legs) by a Dane axe. Obviously you couldn't wear padding under armor on your extremities, so those vulnerabilities were vulnerabilities until the advent of plate, I would think?
Still, to say that mail was completely resistant to certain attacks? It's a fantastic article. In it, he concludes that medieval warfare was incredibly violent and bloody and that lines may have had some degree of separation (i.e. a standoff distance) kind of like two boxers, and it wasn't just men constantly forced to fight for their life for minutes at a time like we think.
You'd need a lot of room to swing a Dane axe at thigh level in a side swipe after all... A LOT of the graves at that dig had limbs cleaved clean off, or huge gashing wounds, and they were buried in their armor I think.
Christopher Vidrine, 30
