What Are the Advantages of lamellars？

What are scale and lamellar armor

Lamellar and scale armor are body armors made of small plates of steel, brass, bronze, leather, or bone. The plates are usually strung together in rows, usually in horizontal lines. Lamellar armor was probably worn without a textile or leather underlay, while scale armor was often fastened to textile or leather clothing or even to chain mail. Both types of armor are possibly the oldest type of body armor. They predate chain mail, which was probably developed in the 3rd century BC.

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The difference between scale and lamellar armor

Lamellar armor is usually made of larger plates than scale armor. Scale armor was fastened to textile, leather, or a chain mail underlay, while lamellar armor was completely loose, often worn over chain mail. A major difference between the two types of chain mail is the amount of archaeological evidence. While the archaeological evidence for lamellar armor is quite scarce, there are many examples of scale armor. Possibly because the Romans used scale armor extensively. Both the lorica squamata and the lorica plumata. The latter had scales attached directly to the chain mail.

Since both are very similar, it is possible that both were developed in parallel, but that lamellar armor was easier to recycle than steel for other items such as scale armor.

Advantages of lamellar and scale armor

Both armor types offer better and stronger protection against stabbing and blunt attacks than chain mail. It is also cheaper to produce, but it is not as flexible and does not offer the same level of coverage. After the introduction of the coat of plates and brigandine, lamellar and scale armor fell into disuse in medieval Europe. However, they remained popular in other parts of the world.

History of lamellar and scale armor

It is unclear which culture developed scale and lamellar armor. It may have been in the Middle East, Egypt or the Caspian steppe. The earliest depiction of scale armour comes from the tomb of Kenamon, who lived in Egypt during the reign of Amenhotep II (– BC). The earliest archaeological evidence of lamellar armour comes from the Neo-Assyrian Empire in the early Iron Age. They used lamellar armour in the 8th–7th centuries BC. Reliefs from Nineveh and Nimrud show many Assyrian soldiers wearing lamellar cuirasses. These cuirasses covered the body from shoulder to waist and sometimes had short sleeves. It seems that this type of lamellar armour was different from later versions. In finds of Assyrian armour, examples of both scale armour and lamellar armour have been found. Around 485 BC–425 BC, scale and lamellar armour were widely used in Middle Eastern empires, such as Persia. In these areas, the scales were often domed to allow for better overlap. According to Herodotus' account, the ancient Persians wore tunics with sleeves in various colors, upon which iron scales resembling fish skin were attached; this suggests that they wore scale armor rather than chain mail.

Scythian scale armor

The horsemen of the Scythians wore scale armor and possibly lamellar armor. This is evident from both illustrations and grave finds in burial mounds. The armor was made of small plates of iron or bronze. A Scythian scale armor from the 8th-3rd century BC is one of the best preserved scale armors from classical antiquity and is now part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Due to the semi-rigid nature of the armor, the Scythian version was made as breastplates and backplates, with separate shoulder pieces. Some finds indicate partial armor, where a leather shirt or similar garment has scales in places, particularly around the neck and upper chest.

Lamellar armor in Asia

Lamellar armor was used in many parts of the world, including Central Asia, East Asia (in China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, and Tibet), West Asia, and Eastern Europe.

Roman scale armor

Lamellar and scale armor may have been introduced into the Roman Empire from the steppes. Trajan's Column depicts Dacian mercenaries wearing scale armor. During the Roman period, scale armor ( lorica squamata ) was a popular alternative to chain mail ( lorica hamata ) because it offered better protection against blunt trauma. They were widely worn by auxiliae, but also by other Roman soldiers and officers. On two Roman tombstones (80-72 BC) of the Sertorii in Verona (one of a centurion, the other of a standard-bearer) both figures are depicted with a lorica squamata covering the shoulders and reaching below the belt. The Carnuntum monument of Calidius (1st century AD) also shows a scaly lorica squamata of a centurion. Also in the collection of marble portrait busts from the large Gallo-Roman villa of Chiragan near Toulouse, the emperors Antoninus Pius and Severus both appear with corsets of scale armour. In addition, archaeological excavations in regions such as the Roman Limes in Germany have yielded various scales.

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Lamellar armour in the migration period

During the migration period, lamellar armour was used in combination with chain mail. In the necropolis of Castel Trosino, 6th-7th century lamellar armour has been found that was worn by the Lombards (a Germanic tribe that migrated from Northern Europe to Italy). It is possible that scale and lamellar armour was also worn by other Germanic peoples around this time, but there is no evidence of this.

Byzantine scale and lamellar armour

Lamellar armour is often depicted on Byzantine warriors, especially in heavy cavalry, the Cataphract. According to recent studies by Timothy Dawson of the University of New England, Australia, Byzantine lamellar armour was much better than chain mail.

Viking lamellar armour

No archaeological evidence of scale armour has been found in Scandinavia. However, two examples of lamellar armour are known. In the 19th century, pieces of lamellar armour were probably found in Snäckgärde on Gotland. However, these have not been preserved and are only mentioned in reports of the archaeological excavation at the time. In Birka, 720 lamellas from the 10th century were found that protected various parts of the body such as the chest, back, upper arms and possibly even the knees. These lamellas were probably made in Gnezdovo and Novgorod. There are a few examples of 9th-11th century lamellas that were worn by the Rus or Varengians: Swedish Vikings who settled in the Ukraine and Russia region. Archaeological finds (270 pieces) show that lamellar armor was worn more widely in this region around the 11th-13th century. The lamellar armor of the Vikings was probably imported exclusively from the Byzantine Empire, where lamellar armor was used much more.

Lamella and scale armor in the Middle Ages

In the Middle Ages, lamellar and scale armor were used mainly by the Rus, Mongols, Turks, Avars and other steppe peoples.

Metal scale armor was regularly used in Western Europe in the Middle Ages to reinforce other armor. Especially chain mail, but also helmets were sometimes reinforced with scale armor. There is also evidence of scale armor protecting the feet. The use of these scale armor components is sometimes depicted in art from that period.

History[]

Lamellar was a type of armour used in ancient societies all over the world from Asia to Europe. The earliest types of lamellar were made of bronze and were held together with lacing of varying types of leather, silk, etc. Later, the armour was made of iron and steel, but was still laced together. Lamellar was also made of studded leather, bamboo scales etc.

Materials
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Lamellar wasn't just made of metal plates. It was also made with leather and bamboo scales. In Japan, this was a cheaper way to make a massive amount of armor for large amounts of Samurai, and was actually far more typical than ones made with metal, due to it being both cheaper and lighter.

Advantages[]

Lamellar offered protection against slashes and blunt force trauma. Leather lamellar was weaker than metal lamellar in terms of defending capabilities and was particularly more useful only when defending against arrows and bolts and lighter weapons such as swords. The key advantages of leather lamellar and scale lamellar were their light weight and the availability of the required materials. They could made be made quickly for a cheap price, making them ideal for ancient and medieval kingdoms that had to deploy a large army over a vast region, like the Chinese empires. The availability of leather made leather lamellar the armor of choice of nomadic tribes. Steel lamellar offered adequate protection from slashes, stabs and blunt force trauma, as well as from projectile attacks. According to the show, the steel lamellar used by important leaders and generals (such as Genghis Khan) was so effective that it was later used as the inspiration for modern day body armors. Historically, metal lamellar became common among the average soldier as industry allowed mass production of metal plates.

Disadvantages[]

Lamellar was not as effective against thrusting attacks. The main disadvantage of lamellar was its lack of durability. Because it was held together with lacing, the fabrics tended to fray and the individual scales would start to fall out. Also, high humidity could cause the lacing to begin to fail. Lamellar's weakness against stabs was not due to weak material, but to the fact the small individual parts would spread apart and allow weapons through. While new and well kept armour could stop initial stabs, over a prolonged fight the lacing would begin to wear out and cause failure. Also, the lacing could be cut if repeatedly slashed in a fight and could cause failures, as well.

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In Deadliest Warrior[]