Lorica

Not a Lobster

This is lorica segmentata: the armor most likely to make someone say, “Hey, that’s a Roman soldier!”

Real Roman soldiers wore a mix of mail, scale, and segmented armor, but segmentata became the movie-star version. Overlapping iron plates protected the torso and shoulders, while straps, hinges, buckles, and hooks let it move with the soldier instead of turning him into a walking metal barrel.

Getting into it could take some doing. A soldier might manage alone, but a tent-mate came in handy when a strap decided to be difficult.

Underneath all that iron, a little protection from rubbing was welcome. That’s where the subarmalis came in, with a focale doing the same job around the neck.

It looks fantastic. Your shoulders may have a different opinion.