Centurions, commanding roughly eighty men within a Roman legion, were sometimes equipped with mail rather than segmented plate, particularly in earlier periods or specific units, distinguished from ordinary auxiliary mail by finer construction and finishing befitting an officer’s rank. This reproduction recreates that centurion-grade mail coat, battle-ready for genuine re-enactment combat.
Roman Centurion’s Mail Coat
The Romans used mail shirts with and without shoulder-doublet protection, and this coat recreates the officer-grade version associated with the centurion. Mail is particularly good as protection against slashing or blunt-weapon attacks, though not as effective as the segmentata plate armour issued to legionary infantry. Battle-ready construction suits full-contact re-enactment combat for a centurion impression.
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