Lorica Hamata

• Lorica Hamata was a Roman Chainmail armour worn by the Roman Auxiliaries. The Legionaries did not wear it until the Late Roman Empire.
• Between 9 BCE and the end of the third century the Legionaries wore strips of iron armour called Lorica Segmentata.

Description

• Throughout the Roman Empire sets of chainmail were made to an identical format, of interlocking iron rings having a diameter of 7 mm and a thickness of 1 mm.

• The sets of chainmail have been found rolled up by their owners in all parts of the Roman Empire, from Caerleon and South Shields in Britannia to Dura Europos in Syria.

• ‘Subarmalis’ was a padded item of clothing worn under the chainmail to cushion the body from arrows or sword blows that, although they could not penetrate the mail, they might break ribs due to their impact.