Subarmalis
Subarmalis is a term associated with clothing worn beneath armour. A soft layer could reduce rubbing and pressure from metal, but the precise construction of Early Imperial under-armour garments has not been fully recovered.
Leather, wool and linen replicas involve different interpretations. No single material, thickness or degree of cushioning should be prescribed for all loricae. Modern wearing experiments are useful but do not by themselves establish an ancient pattern.
Greek, Hellenistic and Roman images should be considered separately. A relief's surface does not always distinguish quilted clothing securely from other textiles or armour details.
Modern drawing of the tombstone of Severius Acceptus of Legio VIII Augusta. Istanbul; original monument, third century CE.
Relief of Mars dedicated by members of Legio XX, from High Rochester; third century CE. Great North Museum: Hancock, Newcastle. The garment beneath the armour is tentatively associated with a subarmalis.
Mars depicted on a Roman altar in the Housesteads Museum. Visible clothing details are tentatively associated with a subarmalis; the construction of any lining cannot be established.Types of subarmalis
No securely identified complete Early Imperial under-armour garment establishes one standard cut. Texts and images provide partial evidence, while modern replicas combine it with practical choices.
The absence of a visible edge beneath segmented armour proves neither the absence of soft clothing nor a vest of a particular design. Most of the layer is concealed by the armour.
Pteruges, or pteryges, are strips or lappets depicted at the shoulders and lower edge of cuirasses. Their material and construction could vary; they should not automatically be treated as parts of one identical undergarment. Attachments and fastenings require separate evidence.
Relief from the Tropaeum Traiani at Adamclisi, Romania, showing military dress; early second century CE.
Detail of an aquilifer’s tombstone from Legio XI Claudia Pia Fidelis, showing fringed strips below the cuirass; first century CE.Monuments show one or several rows of pteruges, sometimes with rounded ends and decoration. Shoulder and waist arrangements can differ. Their row counts do not form a known universal rank system.
An elaborate cuirassed portrait of a legate or emperor could convey a ceremonial image. Sculpted ornament alone does not establish whether a detail was metal, leather or textile.
Tombstone of Marcus Favonius Facilis, centurion of Legio XX Valeria Victrix, showing strips below the cuirass. Colchester and Essex Museum; around 43–50 CE.
Tombstone of Quintus Lucceius Faustus showing military dress. Mainz museum; second half of the first century CE.It is useful to compare images of ordinary soldiers, centurions and senior commanders. These are groups of subjects, not proven undergarment types with prescribed numbers of pteruges.
Date and examine the entire selected monument: clothing, armour, inscription and the figure's position. An isolated detail can conceal important differences between periods.
Fragment of a cuirassed statue from the Julian Basilica, showing the lower row of pteruges. Archaeological Museum of Corinth, Greece; second half of the second century CE.
Fragment of a cuirassed statue from the Julian Basilica, showing the upper rows of pteruges. Archaeological Museum of Corinth, Greece; second half of the second century CE.
Fragment of a cuirassed statue of a Roman officer or emperor, showing pteruges; around 100–130 CE.Reconstruction
Begin with a particular armour type and a dated image rather than a generic “Roman vest”. Check shoulder fit, arm movement and the absence of thick folds beneath metal fittings. Such testing assesses a modern replica's comfort, not an ancient standard.
Record material, layer count, fastening and pteruges attachment separately. Layering or edging may help a replica hold its shape, but cannot be presented as documented for every legionary.
Under-armour clothing and pteruges do not replace safety requirements for armour and performances. An attractive silhouette does not establish protective properties.
Modern reconstruction of a leather garment with fringed strips, interpreted as a centurion’s subarmalis.
Modern reconstruction of a textile garment with leather pteruges.
Modern reconstruction of an officer’s garment with pteruges; the rank-specific arrangement is interpretative.Related topics
- Legionary
- Auxiliary soldier
- Lorica hamata
- Lorica musculata
- Lorica squamata
- Lorica segmentata
- Legate
- Centurion
Literature and sources
M. A. Wijnhoven. European Mail Armour. Amsterdam University Press, Amsterdam, 2022.
Raffaele D'Amato. Roman Centurions 753–31 BC. Osprey Publishing. - Vindolanda tablet 184: reading subarmal… and commentary.
Julius Terentius and his soldiers performing a sacrifice. Wall painting from the Temple of the Palmyrene Gods, Dura-Europos; around 239 CE. Yale University Art Gallery, 1931.386.
Tombstone of Gaius Castricius Victor of Legio II Adiutrix, Aquincum; first–second century CE. Clothing without a visible cuirass is tentatively associated with a subarmalis.
The Great Ludovisi Sarcophagus, mid-third century CE. Cuirasses and clothing strips are visible, but the construction of an under-armour garment cannot be established from them.
Etruscan funerary urn, fourth–third century BCE. Guarnacci Museum, Volterra; comparative evidence for clothing, not direct proof of Roman subarmalis construction.
Detail of a relief from the Tropaeum Traiani at Adamclisi, Romania; early second century CE.
Detail of a relief from the Tropaeum Traiani at Adamclisi, Romania; early second century CE.
Funerary relief of a centurion preserved in San Domenico, Sora; attributed to the late first century BCE. Clothing details have been interpreted as a possible under-armour garment, but quilted construction is not established.
Relief from Aquileia showing a clothing detail at the neck. National Archaeological Museum of Aquileia. Its identification as the collar of a subarmalis remains tentative.Interested in Ancient Rome beyond reading? Join Legio X Fretensis or explore our reenactment directions.
