Lorica plumata
Lorica Plumata (Latin: lorica plumata) is an ancient Roman scale-mail armor. The name is derived from the word "plūma" (meaning "feather") and literally translates to "feathered cuirass" due to the resemblance of its elongated plates with ribs in the middle to bird feathers. The term was first used by Marcus Junianus Justinus to describe the armor of the Parthians: "Munimentum ipsis equisque loricae plumatae sunt, quae utrumque toto corpore tegunt," which can be translated as "the lorica plumata is armor for both the rider and his horse, covering the entire body." There is also a passage by Silius Italicus, a Roman author from the 1st century CE, describing the armor of Consul Flaminius on the eve of the Battle of Lake Trasimene: "He put on his armor: a mail shirt to which iron scales were attached, alternating with gold."
Very few remains of such armor have been found, dating from the 60s CE to the last decades of the 2nd century CE, confirming Silius Italicus' words. The scales were attached to the chainmail fabric beneath them, rather than being connected by wire or cords through holes in the scales themselves, as in the usual squamata lorica. This construction gave this armor another name among modern historians: Lorica Hamata Squamataque.
Fragment of Lorica Plumata from Newstead, AD 80-180s, National Museum of Scotland.
Modern reconstruction of the plumata from the Newstead find.
Modern reconstruction of the plumata from a find from Newstead, rear view.Small rings and scales made this armour labour-intensive. Scarce finds and literary associations with prestigious equipment suggest substantial cost, but do not establish an exclusive right of senior officers to wear it.
The combination of mail and scales could provide protection. Results from modern replica tests should be linked to their particular materials and construction, not treated as a universal assessment of every ancient example.
Literature and sources
1) Martijn A. Wijnhoven. Lorica Hamata Squamataque: A study of Roman hybrid feathered armour
Related topics
Fragment of a plume from the Alte Museum, Berlin.
Fragment of a plume from the Alte Museum, Berlin, rear view.
Fragment of a plume from Ouddorp, National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden.
Fragment of a plume from Usk, 60s AD, National Museum of Wales.
Fragment of plumata from Mandeure, France. Roman period; archaeological context of Mandeure.Interested in Ancient Rome beyond reading? Join Legio X Fretensis or explore our reenactment directions.
