Romans but came into use during the Renaissance. It was the firsttype of articulated plate armor cuirass, the origins of which are unclear. The segmental cuirassmay have found its way into the Roman army from the gladiatorial arena. The first time theRoman legionnaires came into contact with this armor may have been during the revolt of Florusand Sacrovir in 21 A.D. This revolt consisted of heavily armored gladiators, called crupellarii,fighting against legionnaires. Tacitus described how armored gladiators were killed by thelegionnaires hacking through their segmented armor with pickaxes. It is highly probable thatthis form of armor was being issued as standard legionary equipment by the time the EmperorClaudius' troops invaded Britain in A.D.43. The lorica segmentata was constructed of collar and shoulder units which consisted of 24plates (lames) and 16 girdle plates. The latter were half semicircular iron lames, consisting ofstrips of iron sheet, and were positioned horizontally, riveted onto leather straps. The lames werelaced at the center of the breast and back in such a way as to encircle the trunk completely whilestill allowing the body considerable freedom of movement. The articulation of the bands waskept in place by a complicated system of straps and buckles. Fastened on the inside by leatherstraps and fastened at the front and back with laces, buckles and straps. These fittings, wereusually made of a thin brass sheet. The defense was completed with two half-collars (shoulderguards) of articulated lames. Each collar consisted of a small breastplate (3.3 cm by 8.6 cm wideat the lower end) which was fastened to other lames that formed a neck guard. Both of theshoulder-guards consisted of five plates. The largest upper plates were made from three piecesjoined to each other by bronze hinges as were the collar units beneath. The lorica segmentatawas superior to mail in both manufacturing and as armor. However, the armor's...
