Blog, Medieval Armour

Evolution Of Body Armor- Facts To Know

On the battlefields, body armor was a crucial thing that was worn for protecting from the weapon’s attacks. The design, look and material of the body armored changed a lot during different eras and empires. Right from the roman period to the medieval period, there can be seen a change in the body armors. Today, medieval suits of armor for sale are available at many places to give a realistic look to the performances and concerts.

Medieval European Mail

In the medieval periods, history witnessed a lot of change and evolution in the body armors that were used in the battles. Right from the higher personnel of the military to regular soldiers the troop, all these were having different kinds of body armor and suits. One of the common body armors is chainmail which emerged in Iron Age.

In the early period, the chainmail was made from bronze and later iron. This is because metal alloy provided the best protection to the wearer on the battlefield. One thing to consider is that the “Roman” pattern of chainmail became widespread and famous across Europe. The chainmail armor of this period consisted of alternating rows of round wire rings and stamped flat rings to save on labor.

When it comes to strength and protection, there was no alternative to body armor at that time. Chainmail armor was specifically designed to provide an effective defense against slashing blows, weapons, and some forms of penetration. It was also a suitable option for wearing to get protected against many thrusting and piercing weapons.

Today, there’s the availability of this kind of Antique Suit of Armour for sale that is used in various places such as theatres, performances, etc.          

Design of the European Mail

Chain mail, also called Mail, is mainly a form of body armor that was worn by European knights and other military men. This sort of body armor and the suit was popular throughout the medieval period.

Earlier, the chainmail was designed and made by sewing iron rings to fabric or leather to ensure excellent strength. This was worn in late Roman times and continued to be worn for many centuries. Medieval armors got improved by fabricating mail without cloth or leather. In this kind of chainmail, the interlacing of the rings was firmly done by welding or riveting.

A padded inner was worn inside this mail to protect against bruises that can happen because of the weapon’s attack. By the 12th century, chainmail was designed with feet and legs which mean the added application of plates. The addition of plates in the chainmail design was to increase protection for the chest area and back.

The age of Roman Mail

The Romans started using the chain mail when they were having conflicts with the Celts in the 3rd century BCE. The Romans wore this mail armor till the last collapse of the empire. This Real Suit of Armor is also known as the lorica hamata. The Romans preferred this body armor because of the greater coverage that it provided during any sort of battle or war.

Another reason for which this mail was high in demand was its low maintenance. The friction of the rings was good to keep the mail free of rust. With time, there were different versions of the lorica hamata that were designed and made. These were for the auxiliaries, cavalry, legionaries, and skirmishers. by the end of the 2nd Century CE, lorica hamata got prominence and remained the preferred body armor of Roman soldiers.

Design of roman mail

The Romans in their overall empire period used three types of body armor which included a hooped arrangement called lorica segmentata, lorica squamata which were scaled metal plates, and chain mail or lorica hamata.

Mail was durable as it was mostly manufactured using bronze or iron. This kind of armor was made from alternating rows of rings in which each ring was having an inner diameter of about 5 mm, and an outer diameter of 7 mm. The changes and stylizing of the armor were probably started by the Celts. The standard mail or lorica hamata of the Roman era was around 11 kgs.

If you have requirements for medieval suits of armor for sale for different performances then make sure you’re choosing a reliable website for this.

The age of Hellenistic Mail

In this era, Hellenistic soldiers wore mail hauberks which were designed as per their tastes. The Hellenistic armies were the armies of the successor kingdoms of the Hellenistic period which came into existence after the death of Alexander the Great. Helmets that were used in this age by the soldiers ranged from simple, open-faced affairs to stylized models that were complete a mask design.

Design of the Hellenistic Mail

The most basic form of this mail resembled a larger tank-top without any sleeves. It was hung low enough to ensure proper protection of the upper thighs. In a detailed manner, the mail armor of this period resembled the Greek linothorax. Mail armor was worn to enhance the protection against the damage and attack of the weapons on the battleground.

Modern age mail armor

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the experiments started with mail to see if it could be made in a better way to get proper protection. This is how the modern mail armor came into existence. From 1881-1899, both Egyptian and Sudanese were determined to design body armor that can resist bullets. By doing so, there will be less damage to the wounds. Metalworkers started experimenting with different metals to give extra protection to the wearers.

To Sum Up

Are you also looking for Full Suit of Armor Wearable for your performance in movies or theatre? Well, you can connect with the Indian Medieval Armor which offers body armor and suits from different eras and dynasties. To give an original and artistic look, you can prefer connecting with them. They have a wide range of options of body armors to choose from.

 

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