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fragments of Roman armour have been recovered from a multitude of sites – one of the most important of recent years being the battle site of Kalkriese, Germany. This site, dating to AD 9 has yielded a large quantity of equipment discarded by or hacked from the bodies of legionaries defeated by German adversaries. Some of this material is fragmentary and may simply be elements of the armour neither taken as booty, nor set up as a trophy by the victors. Elements of two types of body armour have been found, namely of mail ( lorica hamata ) and of articulated plate armour ( lorica segmentata ). Of the former (probably, as Goldsworthy (2003: 126) states, the most common early body protection), a fine fastening hook was excavated with a human face depicted upon it and ending in an animal’s head terminal, while the latter is attested by hinges, buckles and a part of a breastplate made of both iron and bronze, some 18.8cm in length (Schlüter, 1999: 136–7; Patscher and Moosbauer, 2003). Roman soldiers were also provided with an apron to protect the groin – parts of the silver and bronze fittings of such protection having been found.
    London also produced a piece of segmentata , which may have been damaged in conflict: a fragment of breastplate from the Bank of England seems to have suffered a blow just below one of its hinges (Bishop, 2002: 83).
    One should remember that, although very similar, Roman equipment was not totally uniform – certain pieces would vary and would have been adapted or handed down. Armour was worn over, or stitched onto a leather tunic, as without it the legionary would have found the protection far too uncomfortable to wear.
    Articulated plate armour has been found on many fortress sites, too. Exeter has produced a series of the essential fittings for this armour – buckles, hinges and rivets – although, as the authors point out, ‘they do not, unfortunately, add up to much more than would be required for one shoulder’ (Holbrook and Bidwell, 1991: 244).
    One of the most sensational finds of Roman armour came from the fortress site of Corbridge, northern England. Uncovered in July 1964, a hoard of Roman equipment in the remains of a wooden chest was excavated. This chest had been placed in a rectangular pit, which had been dug through destruction layers of an earlier building. Archaeologists were able to date the deposition of this hoard to around AD 122–138. As well as the projectiles mentioned above, various tools were present, including an iron pick axe, chisel, bow or frame-saw, knives, pulley block, hinges, nails, lamp and bracket, and the remains of a sword scabbard and writing tablets (Allason-Jones and Bishop, 1988: 53–60). The armour was probably the most important part of the collection, enabling the reconstruction of the full layout of one pattern of Roman armour. Many elements of segmentata were present, including breastplates (up to 90mm wide and 95mm deep), shoulder guards and collar plates. The breastplates even held traces of the mineralised remains of internal leather straps and textiles ( ibid. : 23–51 and fig. 53).
    Mail alongside a probable armour plate with a hinge, a buckle and a rivet was found in the excavations of the Roman Gates at Caerleon, Wales (Evans and Metcalf, 1992: 166). Verulamium (St Albans), Kingsholm (Gloucester), London and Richborough, Kent, also produced elements of segmentata fittings.
    Sauer (2000) discusses its presence in the early Imperial fortresses of Vindonissa (Germania Superior) and Oescus (Moesia Inferior) among others including his own excavations at Alchester in Oxfordshire. Lorica segmentata seems to have gone out of fashion in the third century (Goldsworthy, 2003: 128), though as it has been found at Kalkriese, AD 9, this type of protection was in vogue for more than 200 years.
    One must be careful not to assume that finds of armour in a fort or barracks represent the presence of an armoury; it may