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Roman arm guard reassembled and now on display


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A brass Roman arm guard found in Scotland has been reassembled and will be on display. It was found in about 100 fragments and dates to the late second century AD.

Conservator with the arm guard

 

https://www.news-journal.com/roman-armour-to-go-on-display-after-experts-complete-ancient-jigsaw-puzzle/video_5ea7c199-5f53-5e75-a6a1-431bb8bcaa41.html

 

 

Edited by guy
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Here’s a wonderful video by Professor Roberto Trizio on the find. (English subtitles can be enabled)

 

 

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Amazing accomplishment restoring that...As the film says,  it was no doubt part of a "dress uniform" to distinguish an officer from an ordinary legionnaire. Brass would never stand up to a heavy iron sword in combat....The French swordsmen used to call the thick bicipital tendon that crosses the crook of the elbow, protecting the large brachial artery as it goes from the upper arm to the forearm, "The Grace of God Tendon." As nice as it would be to have God on your side, a little extra protection from  an arm guard would be well worth the investment when battling barbarians.

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2 hours ago, guidoLaMoto said:

a little extra protection from  an arm guard would be well worth the investment when battling barbarians.

Thank you for reading my post. Professor Trizio in his above video makes the point that Trajan’s column, whose friezes depict the conflicts with the Dacians, shows the Dacian falx (curved blade) and the Roman arm guard as protection.

 

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The falx was very effective in injuring the legionaries’ exposed arms and legs which had been previously unprotected.

Trajan’s column attests to the modifications that may have been made to protect against the Dacian falx. “Trajan introduced the use of greaves and an arm protector (mania) for the right arm, which had previously been used only by gladiators and which was never used again [or at least routinely] once the Dacia campaign concluded (Wikipedia).”

This arm guard may have had only a ceremonial function or might have been brought back by a veteran of the Dacian conflicts.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falx

Edited by guy
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