Late Roman Armour and Equipment

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

Great video! I just found your channel, very happy I did ;)

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Hi SRQP, glad you enjoyed it, I am a subscriber of your channel myself thanks to our mutual friend Ottoman History Hub. In my next video how about I give your channel a shout out.

[@TheSPQRHistorian]

@@EasternRomanHistory If you're willing to do that I would be very thankful and I'll be sure to repay the favor

[@nicolafiliber3062]

It is a misconception that ridge helmets originated in the 4th century. You can see these helmets worn by Iberians in earlier centuries. It was probably the common wear for some auxiliary units originating from Spain and in the 4th century they became widespread

[@РимскийОрел]

The Welsh Dragon was created based on Roman standards!

[@paprskomet]

Says theory. Nobody really knows but it is not impossible.

[@brianfuller7691]

Great video with excellent information well presented. The Late Roman Army was (obviously) very different from the Principate Army but ...context. The Late Roman Army was defending and adapted to deal with different threats. The detail details about the cavalry were interesting.

[@Rocinante2300]

If you could produce your own movie based on a Roman Emperor, who would you choose?

[@emilioduarte7089]

I know you didnt ask me , but if I could choose it would be a mini series of belissarius and justinian wars( too much too pack in one movie , dont wanna make the same mistake made on the movie alexander) or another series on the bulgarslayer. IF you insist on movie format I belive that theodore laskaris would be quite a fine movie , his story its quite interesting since it was the begining of a slow reconquest ...

[@Rocinante2300]

Emilio Duarte Yeah no please, open discussion. I would love to see more on the Komnenian Dynasty.

[@brandontheodore7494]

A series on the Heraclian or Macedonian dynasties would be awesome.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

@@emilioduarte7089 Theodore is actually a really cool idea. His battle of the Meander would be great on screen and the whole fallout of 1204 and picking up the pieces coukld be a really powerful story, as indeed it was.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

@@Rocinante2300 Indeed

[@grandmastercrusader8724]

Interesting stuff. Can you do videos on the empire of Tribezond and the conflicts between the Latin Empire of Constantinople and the Empire of Nicaea?

[@EasternRomanHistory]

As a matter of fact, a friend and I were thinking of doing just that.

[@jamesabestos2800]

Reminds of when Rome signed a treaty with Carthage quite a departure from "I am of the opinion we should destroy Carthage" by someone called Cato did not look like cat

[@darthhoovy8332]

Fantastic video as always! Looking forward for the next one!

[@addylupe5997]

Fascinating, and kind of strange but cool. I had no idea of this period as being a distinct and separate period in terms of equipment, clothing, and general aesthetic. It looks rather different from our classical conception of ancient Rome, kind of leading toward something medieval, which makes sense. In fact I don't recall ever seeing a movie made about the time period where they use the correct kinds of equipment and clothes here; they pretty much all make them look the same as the classic first and second centuries, with the lorica segmentata and older helmets, square shields, and no trousers/long sleeves.

[@paprskomet]

And that is a big problem behind why most people only imagine Romans as guys from late 1st century BC to early 2nd century since they only knows them from films and filmmakers apply the very same costumes on all eras of Rome.

[@Badnercalabrese]

It's really a shame. Every movie only depicts Roman clothing and equipment from the late republic or early Imperial era.

[@robertfisher8359]

Fascinating stuff! Thanks for this (and the previous video on the weapons), ERH!

[@EasternRomanHistory]

It was a pleasure to make.

[@brandontheodore7494]

Hey ERH I think an interesting topic for a future video could be about rebels such as George Maniakes or Thomas the Slav. I've been fascinated by Maniakes for a while Psellos give us a fairly intimidating description of him and had be actually won he would have ascended at a very important time for the empire.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

I really want to make a video about George Maniakes, and when I cover Michael II, I will have to cover Tommy the Slav. Maniakes is one of my favourite Eastern Roman generals.

[@neilplace8522]

Fantastic vid! Fascinating and informative. Thank you.

[@atticusleeds3957]

"Vegetius" - You're not dealing with the average late roman writer anymore!

[@mikelesnar6560]

Superb videos

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Thanks Mike

[@emilioduarte7089]

Fantástico. Great job... as always

[@jacobcantrell82]

Great video! You and Schwerpunkt are both exceptional history channels that deserve many more subs.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Thank you very much

[@gm2407]

If we know where the fabrica were roughly located due to the notilia dignitatum it would seem likely that we could check to see if we may have already excavated those areas for archiological purposes and could have identified it as something else. Due to many Roman settlements suriving into later ages with buildings above them.

[@Mike-gz4xn]

Push this channel out from the other history channel. Deserves more subscribers.

[@drakonos79]

01:47 welcome to Harrog..cough cough.. Illyricum traveler.. enjoyed the video. keep at it! :)

[@rares1966]

Very interesting and detailed video! On the topic of the Draco, it was introduced after the Dacian Wars, since it was the main army standard of the Dacians, rather than the Sarmatians (The Sarmatians did fight as allies of both the Dacians and the Romans). It was during the Dacian Wars that the legions also adapted the manicae too, an arm and shoulder armour plate extension which up to then was mainly used by gladiators, but was adapted during the war to help in defending against the Dacian falx sword.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Very interesting.

[@Andreas-ww5eg]

Don't forget that the Parthians and Sassanids also used the Draco. The manica was originally a piece of armor for both legs and arms of cavalrymen in the middle east and central asia and the Greeks named it "Cheires". Seleucid, Armenian, Parthian, Sassanian and Roman cataphracts wore it to battle.

[@rares1966]

@@Andreas-ww5eg indeed. Many of the designs of weapons and armour were used commonly by many ancient civilisations. Just like how the Romans adapted the gladius from the Iberians and the classic legionary Gallic helmet from the Gauls (combined with Italic designs). The ancient world was very adaptable when it came to warfare.

[@EvilSmonker]

Love your taste in music :) Oh and great videos of course.

[@majorianus8055]

Do u play stronghold? :)

[@MrRandalFlagg]

Very informative!

[@Ramtin-Blue_rose]

Hi ,I have one question, in the late 4th century was cataphractarii exclusively used by Eastern Roman Empire or the western Roman Empire was also capable of mounting their own heavy cavalry.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

They both used cataphracts but whereas the west only had one workshop for the construction of the gear needed for a cataphract the west used them far less than the east which had, if I recall, about 4 such workshops.

[@clpfox470]

late roman infantry seem funnily enough very similar to the thorakitai of the late Hellenistic age with the large oval shield chain mail and spear, funnier still they in turn were more or less a copy of the early roman legions along with being an evolution of the lighter peltast. i know its due to the changing times and tactics of the roman army but its almost if some one was feeling nostalgic or something

[@jasonsomers8224]

Anyone know the meaning of the swastika at 11:20?

[@EasternRomanHistory]

I think it is just a geometic shape. Geometrics designs were very simple and popular.

[@jasonsomers8224]

@@EasternRomanHistory thanks

[@doggo1dog]

On another note; Sicily has a three pointed one made of legs

[@paulmcdonald2742]

Love the D2 man. Love it

[@gm2407]

Great video.

[@aslanlovett4059]

Very good stuff. Metetron quality

[@desmig2883]

Great video and very informative too, a few questions though: you mentioned that it is possible that some troops did not wear armour or helmets, would these be light troops or could this have also applied for heavier troops?? if you were in fact referring to heavy troops, is there any known reason why?? Also what is your opinion on the common depiction of the limitanei as having little to no armour??

[@EasternRomanHistory]

There is a line in Vegetius where he laments the softness of troops that don't wear heavy armour or helmets anymore because they are too heavy. He refereces to people such as archers and heavy infantry. While there is ample evidence to suggest that the army continued to wear as much armour as they had done in the third and fourth century as in the fifth, some units may have worn less armour as part of their units personnal specialisation. Vegetius comment should be taken as a more specific complaint and not a generalisation of the entire Late Roman army. The Limitanei could be drafted into the Comitatenses as Pseudo-Comitatenses suggesting that they were of a high enough quality to utilised as mobile troops, sometimes in quite large numbers. The Limitanei had an official lower status and were not paid as well but they reliable soldiers that were armed and armoured similarly to their Comitatenses counterparts.

[@gergoradoczi8939]

love the diablo2 soundtrack in the background

[@gekalskip]

Great stuff man! Very informative and interesting, well done. Mind sharing what book that is at 7:39? I would love to read more about all of this. Subbed too :)

[@SireJaxs]

I am mad that you didn't say emperor Aurelian and instead said Claudius Gothicus. I am a fanboy or emperor Aurelian, Do not disrespect him by not saying his name! Aurelian! Jk, good video btw.

[@paprskomet]

In that case you are disrespecting many other great Emperors yourself.

[@SireJaxs]

@@paprskomet bruh

[@cestkaiser]

Very detailed video! What's the outro song btw?

[@martinalarcon3108]

It’s amazing the influence that Rome has on the world 😮 their influences r everywhere, I thank god for Greco Roman influences in my culture through Spain 🇪🇸

[@marcionphilologos5367]

IF YOU STUDY THE USE OF ARMOUR IN HISTORY, YOU HAVE TO POINT OUT THE EVOLUTIONARY LOGIC OF IMPROVEMENT.......... SO, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BYZANTINE HAUBERK, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED FOR HEAVY INFANTERY AND CAVALRY, WHICH CONSISTED OF LEATHER/ SCALES AND HAD GOOD NECK/ ARM/ HIPS PROTECTION, WAS SUPERIOR TO THE ARMOUR OF THE ROMAN SOLDIERS OF THE LATE ROMAN WESTERN EMPIRE..............

[@O_LoboIberico]

Shields!!! Awesome 👌🏻😊

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Shields are awesome

[@O_LoboIberico]

Do you know if there were any particular images they would depict on shields? A video about would be possible, or a section in a future video?

[@EasternRomanHistory]

@@O_LoboIberico The best answer is look at the contemporary imagery. Lots of shields are shown with a Chi Rho, like in the Justinian mosiac, and we know that Constantine painted his shields with the Chi Rho. The great hunt shows men with plain coloured shields or with basic patternsbut these are hunters not the army and the Notitia dignitiatum shows that every unit had its own shield something we know Roman legions had.

[@Wastelandman7000]

Pteruges were not "frilly". They were usually hardened leather. Theng Thrand has done actual experimentation and if you use leather boiled in wax they are quite cut resistant. Even stood up to the tip of a replica Dacian Falx. Two handed. Which is saying something. Not as good as metal, but, they wouldn't have survived from even more ancient times if they didn't work.

[@anglosaxaphone672]

hey. great video! question: where did you find the picture that you used on the cover of this video?

[@EasternRomanHistory]

This is a picture from the Notitia Dignitatum of one of the Fabricae, a Roman arms factory.

[@anglosaxaphone672]

@@EasternRomanHistory thank you very much.

[@christophmahler]

Though _entirely speculative_ , one can wonder if the so called *'light ridge helmet' was issued with a mail coif* - as the latter by itself is largely ineffective to protect against blows from above e.g. by horsemen, armed with blunt clubs or maces, a weapon of choice against any armed opponent - or when fighting in a siege with heavy stones tossed from above. We need some experiments by 'Tod's Workshop' on the _practicality_ of mail and leather types, especially against ubiquiteous lead slingshot, confirming if e.g. mail coifs are probably the optimum in mobility and all around protection. One has to be cautious when using artistic depictions - whether images, sculptures or fiction - as a source to deduce equipment as the needs of an artist for aesthetics are not aligned with the needs of a soldier for protection. The account begs some interesting 'structural' questions on the rationale - or circumstances - e.g. of shifting 'belt width', the reintroduction of lamellar armor, and on the replacement of open sandals with closed shoes - ranging from the geographic shift toward *transalpine deployment* to _ethnic_ auxilliary unit composition and their cultural preferences (Goths), shifting 'fashions' across the empire as with Pannonian recruitment and customs (felt hats).

[@huntclanhunt9697]

My assumption is the idea of Limitanei not having armor comes from them just not wearing it for patrol and garrison duty. Kind of like how in Vietnam some units didn't make their men wear flack jackets.

[@paprskomet]

We have no data about them not wearing it in such situations. Misconception rather comes from misinterpretation of older scholarship.

[@shanegarm]

What book do the images that you reference in the videos come from?

[@EasternRomanHistory]

They are from The Late Roman Army by Southern and Dixon

[@shanegarm]

@@EasternRomanHistory thank you very much! I have another one by pat southern but it's not illustrated. I'll have to check this one out!

[@wu1ming9shi]

Hmm, Is that where the later word "constable" came from? From Constabuli?

[@paprskomet]

It comes from Comes stabuli which was rank on Roman court since 4th century.

[@wu1ming9shi]

@@paprskomet Yeah, that makes a lot more sense. 😅

[@TonyEmeryPG20mm]

Would the fabricae provided equipment to foederati troops also?

[@paprskomet]

They definitelly could and sometimes would.

[@gm2407]

Was the Thorocomarcus like a Gamberson? Or was if not padded?

[@bloodyplebs]

hi could you point me to further reading on the subject?

[@brandonstanley9125]

No armor. Guess they pulled a Julian.

[@crapphone7744]

I have read that the breastplates from the time of Constantine worn by the legion years may have been made of boiled leather rather than iron or bronze. The source that I read that from seemed accurate even though it wasn't a professional academic.

[@paprskomet]

Nothing like this is considered as serious posibility by modern scholarship and neither archeological and written evidence of original sources mentions that would be the case. Boiling leather to create hardened material also used for armor existed but There is nothing that would suggested this would be normal style of armor since Constantine on.

[@crapphone7744]

I really wish you would reach back to the army of Constantine the Great and go over that.There is this a gap in your explanations between late Imperial Rome and the 5th century. Your information is great, but unfortunately doesn't do a lot of details for the one emperor I'm most interested in. 😮

[@Oxbowmars5103]

By this point and actually 1st 2nd century the Roman’s would be using mild steel called Norric steel

[@grahamtravers4522]

Good information. Music too loud - it interferes with your verbal description.

[@Rokaize]

This is a fantastic video. I wonder though, why on earth didn’t these late Roman soldiers wear gambesons? Or at least some form of textile armor? This seems to me to be a logical thing to do during this time period. I’d rather have textile armor than literally NO armor. Maybe they did wear this type of armor? But we just have no evidence as of yet.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Thank you very much. I think the latter is probably true for light troops, things like cloth very rarely survive so it is entirely possible that they wore something protective, even for light troops that should stay out of melee. Then again if the idea is that they should not be in the thick of battle in the first place why should they wear cumbisome armour. Tough one to trully know for certain. For heavy troops, their metal armour and cloth undershirts and large shields seem to have been sufficient. I am afraid I cannot give a more definitative answer.

[@Rokaize]

Eastern Roman History Youre probably right. That sounds reasonable. Since you mention light troops, would you say the late romans had “skirmisher” style troops? Like the Greek peltasts of antiquity? It is very difficult to find information on the lighter troops of the late Roman army. At least I haven’t been able to find any solid information. I would think they’d still use men carrying javelins or even slings, but I’m not sure of any evidence of this. Are you?

[@EasternRomanHistory]

@@Rokaize Yes, the Romans still used archers and peltasts as well as mounted javlineers and archers to skirmish. The factories that created the weapons made arrows and bows. Something that was very effective was the dart that could be through from quite a distance. Evidence usually for these usually comes from acharology such as tombstones where they say that they were Joe Bloggs the archer of the 1st foot in mouth and so on. Another great source is the notitia dignitatum. and also primary sources like Ammianus Marcellinus who was himself a soldier.

[@Rokaize]

Eastern Roman History that is what I figured. I wasn’t sure how the late Roman army could function without skirmishing soldiers. Il have to check out those sources as I’m curious what specific kind of equipment these lightly equipped soldiers used. Thank you.

[@tamlandipper29]

You've used quite a few images which I think are from the Osprey series of books. It would be good if you would credit accordingly. Unless people know what books you use then the autors can't continue to generate research which you are using.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

The black and white pictures are from The Late Roman Army by Pat Southern and Karen Dixon, I credit them in the bibliography.

[@quarantinetv7751]

Finally, someone named Eastern Roman and actually calls them Romans. I just can't stand those idiots calling them Byzantine Empire.

[@luciusdomitiusaurelianus774]

.

[@crapphone7744]

"If there was one unit for whom armor was not necessary it was light Calvary...". Lol, bet you'ld have a different opinion if you were a light Calvary man.😅

[@crapphone7744]

I call kataphraktoi. I want armor.

[@diadokhoi5722]

11:28 is that a nazi symbol

[@EasternRomanHistory]

No you must be confusing this geometric pattern that is flat and flows cloakwise with another that is on it's axis and follows anti-clockwise.

[@alexmag342]

@mdimarov @Eastern Roman History Swastikas are extremely common old ancient indo-european symbols which represent the sun and lightning bolts, it also represents and used for good luck and prosperity, it was used by celts, germanics, romans, Greeks, Persians, and Indians and many more in Europe, Middle East, and later on Buddhism helped spread it to the East Asians, the swastika which the nazis used is the original one used by indo-europeans, while the left leaning is more to do with Hinduism and Budhism, tho both this religions use both. Its nowhere near a strictly only Nazi symbol neitheir is raising you arm or anything the Nazis did or used. It has been found carved in mammoth tusks as far back as 30.000 years ago. Although "swastika" is a 19th century term which comes from Hindu, the original terms in Europe were Gammadion(Greco-Roman) and Fylfot(Germanic)

[@matthiuskoenig3378]

@@alexmag342 they also can mean eternity, which is the meaning used in the eastern roman empire and later orthodox and coptic churches from what I have read.

[@lepmuhangpa]

This is about the time where Christians used a LOT more symbols from the old cultures.

[@paprskomet]

You think nazies invented it?

[@benquinney2]

Chain mail

[@flaviustheodosius3379]

Last Roman empire= Ottoman empire. Kayser- i Rum (Fatih Sultan Mehmet)

[@ub3rfr3nzy94]

After Mehmet II died, his plans to reunify the Roman empire died with him. His successors decided to form an Islamic empire and later took over the position of Caliph after conquering the Arabians. So perhaps short lived, it was still the Roman empire until he died. Also there was no Ottoman empire, like there was no Byzantine empire. They were just called Turks.

[@matthiuskoenig3378]

If Mehmet II was a roman emperor so was every holy roman emperor (both claim legitimacy through church/clergy figures). Unlike the franks/germans however, the turks after mehmet ii no longer claimed the title, meaning the holy roman empire was the last roman empire if the turks were ever the roman empire.