The Roman army recycled mail

A significant discovery near the Roman legionary fortress of Bonn, Germany, has revealed the organization of the Roman army’s recycling and supply systems. In 2008 and 2012, the LVR-State Service for Archaeological Heritage in the Rhineland in Bonn, conducted excavations to investigate a Roman vicus settlement. Archaeologists recovered a 14 kg hoard of mail armour, which comprised at least four different suits based on the observed differences in ring size. Members of the international research team employed computed tomography (CT) to scan and study the mail. Their findings suggests that the hoard was intended for repair and patching. They argue that the cache likely represents ‘donor’ mail, which was collected for reuse rather than discarded. This indicates the involvement of local craftworkers in maintaining military equipment on the northern frontier.…

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Ancient Warfare (Digital) - 1 Issue, AW XVIII.1

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