History
During the time of its use, it was modified several times, the currently recognised types being the Kalkriese, Corbridge and Newstead types, named after their places of discovery. There was, however, a considerable overlap between these types in use and the Corbridge and Newstead types are often found at the same site (e.g. at Caerleon in Wales, Carnuntum in Austria, Carlisle in England and Len in Spain). It is possible that there was a fourth type, a hybrid of the banded armour together with scale shoulder defences. However, this is only known from one badly damaged statue originating at Alba Iulia in Romania. The currently accepted range for the use of the armour is from about 9 B.C. (Dangstetten) to the late 3rd century A.D. (Len). Its use was geographically widespread but chain mail may have been more common at all times.
Use by legionaries only, or by auxiliaries as well
The question as to precisely who used the armour is debated. There is a clear difference in armour between the two corps shown on Trajan's Column. This is a monument erected in 113 in Rome to commemorate the conquest of Dacia by Emperor Trajan (ruled 97-117): its bas-reliefs are a key source for Roman military equipment. Auxilia are generally shown wearing chain mail (lorica hamata) cuirasses or simple leather corslets, and carrying oval shields. Legionaries are uniformly depicted wearing lorica segmentata and with curved rectangular shields. On this basis, it has long been supposed that lorica segmentata was used by legionaries only.[citation needed]
The view that auxilia were light troops originates from Vegetius' comment that "auxilia are always joined as light troops with the legions in the line". It is true that some specialist units in the auxilia, such as Syrian archers and Numidian cavalry wore light armour (or none). But they were a small minority of the auxilia. Most auxiliary cohortes contained heavy infantry similar to legionaries.
But on another Trajanic monument, the Adamclisi Tropaeum, the lorica segmentata does not appear at all, and legionaries and auxilia alike are depicted wearing either mail or scales (lorica squamata). Some experts are of the opinion that the Adamclisi monument is a more accurate portrayal of normality, with the segmentata used rarely, maybe only for set-piece battles and parades. This viewpoint considers the figures in Trajan's Column to be highly stereotyped, in order to distinguish clearly between different types of troops.n[ In any event, both corps were equipped with the same weapons: gladius (a close-combat stabbing sword) and javelins, although the type of javelin known as pilum seems to have been provided to legionaries only. Goldsworthy points out that the equipment of both corps were roughly equal in weight.
In recent years archaeology has found fittings of lorica segmentata in many fort sites that are thought to have been garrisoned by only auxiliary troops, i.e. where the legions were not based. If the legions were, indeed, broken up and distributed around all these small bases, then it implies a tactical use of the legions that has not previously been considered. Hitherto, the legions were regarded as shock troops employed only en masse and not broken up into penny packets. M.C. Bishop, however, has argued that we need to examine the way in which the various troop types were armed and deduce from this what their battle roles were, rather than trying to consider who-wore-what. Succinctly put, the legions were armed and trained for close-order combat while the auxiliary forces, just as numerous, were more accustomed to open order fighting, although they could be employed as the legions were (e.g. at Mons Graupius) if circumstances demanded this.
Last uses and disappearance
During the 3rd century, all peregrini were granted Roman citizenship, and therefore legionaries lost their social superiority. The lorica segmentata eventually disappeared from Roman use, most likely due to its high cost and difficult maintenance despite its good qualities, although it appears to have still been in use in early 4th century, being depicted in the Arch of Constantine erected in 315 during the reign of Constantine I to commemorate his military achievements . (However, it has been argued that these depictions are from an earlier monument by Marcus Aurelius, from which Constantine incorporated portions into his Arch.) Recently there has been evidence of a lorica segmentata find in Spain dating from the third century. What is more surprising is that it was found in an area where, as far as we know, only limitanei operated. (Limitanei are seen as poorer-quality troops than the contemporary mobile field armies of the comitatenses.)
Similar armouring techniques were used during the 16th century, employing sliding rivets. This was known as anima.
Gallery
Pl 55.jpg
External links
Lorica Segmentata Volume I: A Handbook of Articulated Roman Plate Armour, M.C. Bishop, Armatura Press (November 1, 2002) (online version)
Roman Army website, showing the third century finds of segmentata in spain (downloadable PDF)
Ancient originals on the pages of the Roman Military Equipment Web Museum
References
Notes
^ L. Rossi Trajan's Column and the Dacian Wars (Thames & Hudson 1971) 102
^ Vegetius op cit II.2
^ a b Goldsworthy Roman Warfare 127
^ Mattingly op cit 207
^ Rossi op cit 59
^ Goldsworthy Complete Roman Army 136
^ For a full discussion of this topic, see Bishop, M.C. (2002), "Lorica segmentata, Volume 1: A Handbook of Articulated Roman Plate Armour", Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies, Monograph No.1.
^ Goldsworthy Complete Roman Army 209
^ Lorica Segmentata Volume I: A Handbook of Articulated Roman Plate Armour, Pg.21, Fig 2.4
See also
Manica - roman armguard of similar construction
Laminar armour
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