Lamellar construction in the Eastern Roman Empire

Lamellar is one of the forms of armour most misunderstood in the popular militaria field, and this observation is most particularly true of Roman lamellar. Prior to the tenth century Roman lamellar underwent a technological innovation which sets it apart from the sorts of lamellar used by other cultures. The plates of “middle Byzantine” lamellar were fixed not to the plate adjacent in the row, but to a backing. Originally this was done by lacing, but from before 1000 c.e. it was done by riveting as illustrated here.
For a more discussion should see my article ‘Kremasmata, Kabadion, Klibanion’ in Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, number 22 (1998). Another article, 'Klivanion revisited, a catalgue and evolutionary typology of middle Byzantine lamellar', in Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies, 13 (2002), explains the incremental steps that produced East Roman riveted lamellar from older type. This information is also available in Levantia Historical Guide 8: One Thousand Years of Lamellar Construction in the Roman World, available via the products page on this site.

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