Squamata Chest Plates

[Lord Hobbers]

Hello all

With regards to the Roman’s lorica squamata scale armour, I have seen numerous drawings and modern recreations that feature a metal chest plate, which looks like it may be used possibly as a fastening for the armour at the neck. But I have also seen recreations of scale armour without this chest plate.
 
Does anyone know more about this? Specifically, why do some scale-armoured shirts feature it, and others not? Would it be anything to do with which century the armour was from, or would it perhaps be down to the individual armourer whether or not they constructed a shirt with it on or not. Would it be a question of cost? Would a more wealthy person have one and a poorer person not? For example, would a centurion's armour have it, but a legionary's not? Or would it be the other way round, for one reason or another?
 
I am recreating an image of the Severan Praetorian Guard (early 3rd Century), and I understand that they wore scale armour. Would anyone know if their shirts would have featured these chest plates? Would it be appropriate for that era/type of soldier?
 
Many thanks

[Nathan Ross]

They're really interesting bits of equipment, but little is known about them - nobody even seems to be able to decide what they were for or even what to call them (I've seen 'breast plates, 'chest protectors', 'closing plates' or 'gorgets' all used...)

There are a couple of brief threads that might tell you a bit more:

Third Century Chest Protectors

Squamata Closing Plates

All of the finds so far seem to be very late 2nd or early 3rd century, and all (I think) come from auxiliary forts. So perhaps a fairly brief fashion in scale (or in one case mail) armour?

The note about praetorians wearing scale comes from a description of the battle between Elagabalus and Macrinus in AD218, by Herodian, I think - so it's a good bet for the early 3rd century.

[caiusbeerquitius]

It rather seems that these plates belong in a legionary context. All those that had inscriptions refer to legions, likewise the symbols on most of them refer to legionaries. I was amazed by this as well, but found a good article about it by accident in Saalburg Jahrbuch, I think 2012.

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Here´s the title: Stefan F. Pfahl. Abschied von der Reiterei - Zu den Inschriften auf den Panzerverschlüssen der sogenannten Paraderüstungen
Saalburg Jahrbuch 57, 2013. Don´t have the page numbers, sorry.

[Nathan Ross]

All those that had inscriptions refer to legions, likewise the symbols on most of them refer to legionaries.

Thanks! Didn't know that - (although I should have spotted that one of them was found at Brigetio...!)

[Lord Hobbers]

Thank you both!

The note about praetorians wearing scale comes from a description of the battle between Elagabalus and Macrinus in AD218, by Herodian, I think - so it's a good bet for the early 3rd century.

Yes, I'm sure that's where I got the reference to the scale armour from originally, though I'm not certain why Macrinus made his Praetorians take their armour off before joining the battle. I'm no expert but wouldn't it have made more sense for them to keep it on?

Thank you for the links to the other threads; I shall take a look at those now.

It rather seems that these plates belong in a legionary context.

Many thanks. When you say they were in a legionary context, do you mean that they were probably worn by normal legionaries and not the Praetorians? Or perhaps that citizen soldiers (including legionaries and Praetorians) would have worn them, but that auxiliary units would not?

I will Google that article now, thank you. Though I don't speak very good German, alas! I wonder if there is an English translation available.

Thanks again

[caiusbeerquitius]

Legionaries. ?