Scale armour is among the oldest and most geographically widespread forms of body defence in antiquity, appearing from the Near East through Greece and into the Roman world with only gradual changes in construction. Each small scale overlapped its neighbours like the plates on a fish or reptile, wired or sewn to a backing to create a surface that moved with the wearer while still presenting a hard, layered barrier. Funerary reliefs from Verona depicting a centurion and a standard-bearer both show this style of armour, evidence that it remained in use among experienced, higher-status soldiers over a long period. This reproduction is worked entirely in iron scales sized approximately 36mm by 26mm.
Iron Scale Armour Hauberk (Lorica Squamata)
Known to the Romans as lorica squamata, scale armour built from overlapping metal plates was used across the ancient Mediterranean world, including by Greek soldiers well before Rome adopted the same construction. This version is worked entirely in iron scales, each measuring approximately 36mm by 26mm, for a heavier, more workmanlike finish than the brass alternatives. Surviving Roman tombstones from Verona depicting a centurion and a standard-bearer both show soldiers wearing scale armour of this type, confirming its long service life across the ancient world.
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