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| Question:
What armour did soldiers wear? |
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| Lorica segmentata |
| This is a piece of iron armour, which would have been worn by Roman soldiers in the 1st century AD. Legionaries of this period used armour made of many iron strips mounted on leather straps, designed to move with the body. This piece is a neck plate. |
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| Belt plate |
| This is a decorated bronze belt plate, which probably belonged to a Roman soldier. Soldiers belts were often elaborately decorated, especially in the 1st century AD. |
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| Shield Boss |
| This bronze disc was part of a soldier’s shield (scutum). It was put in the centre of the outside of the shield to protect the handle on the inside. Shield bosses are usually the only parts of the shield to remain, as the main part was made of wood. |
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| Helmet |
| This is a well-preserved bronze legionary helmet known as a ‘coolus’, belonging to the 1st century AD. It would originally have had attached cheek pieces to protect the face. It was found in Chichester harbour and may have been accidentally dropped by a soldier in the period of the Roman invasion. |
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| Hobnail boot imprint |
| This is a piece of Roman clay roof-tile that was stepped upon by a dog and a person while it was drying, leaving imprints. The human footprint shows that the person was wearing a type of shoe with iron nails (hobnails) in the sole, known as caligae. Roman soldiers would have worn shoes such as these. |
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