This three-disc armour, or cardiophylax, dates back to 450-30 BC, originally worn by Etruscan and Samnite warriors of Central Italy before later being adopted by the Samnite class of Roman gladiators.
The three overlapping discs offered targeted protection to the chest without the weight of a full cuirass, and the accompanying ornamented brass belt was itself considered a mark of a warrior’s status in Central Italy during this period.
This reproduction recreates that historic three-disc armour with its brass belt, suited to an Etruscan, Samnite, or gladiatorial impression.






