Reinterpretation of the Mars of Todi armor?

[Hirtius]

The main point I wanted to discuss is the armor used by the Mars of Todi. The Etruscan hoplites don't use it (unrelated note, they deserve an extra armor point or two since they have metal breastplates among them), but the Carthaginian Sacred Band seems to, so this might be relevant.

What I'm going to argue is that the Mars of Todi's armor is perhaps not made out of metal lamellae, but instead out of linen. Keep in mind this is speculation based off of only one other piece of art, so take it with a big grain of salt.

First, I'll start some speculation. This is the Mars of Todi itself. Let me know if the link is not working.


https://imgur.com/a/ewt8Uix


1. First off, I'll start with the weakest. The buttons that are used to tie the armor together go straight through the metal lamellae. While this is a doable thing to do and could just be an artistic thing (although it's all fairly realistic), wouldn't it make more sense to connect the button with one of the larger seems? I'm not sure if that would affect the durability of the armor, but it's worth considering.

2. Next, the shoulders. If those were metal, that is not the best design for them. Those shoulder pads are made to be flexible like other tube and yokes, but having long metal lamellae seems like that would be too rigid. In fact, if you google lamellar armor, most of the shoulder armor would be oriented to have the long way going side to side instead of up and down. That might make it more flexible, but it's worth noting that even those examples look rigid. Unless those seams add flexibility, it would be very tough to lift the shoulder pads. Even then, the segments on the shoulder have a large curve, which I guess might make it awkward.

3. Third, a particularly strange piece of evidence. Look at that small strip below the neck. Are those small lamellae? Or is that cord being run through lamellae for aesthetics or to hold it together better? Although not impossible to explain, it just doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense for metal armor.

4. Lastly, the fact that it's tube and yoke/type 4. While this can easily be explained away as part of the style of the time, it's worth noting that if it was lamellar it probably wouldn't need to be tube and yoke. The Golyamata Mogila armor from Thrace is a completely different armor in every way, I know. But it is not tube and yoke. It used a leather backing. It still keeps the shoulder pads and attachments, it's just all one piece. This is speculating, but my guess for why linen armor might need to be tube and yoke is that making one big piece of linen might not be as feasible, more time consuming, and more wasteful since you would be using many layers. Like I said, could just be a style thing.

Next piece of evidence (and really the only), is the painting from the Etruscan "François tomb" which seems to depict the executing of Trojans by Achilles. Let me know if the link doesn't work.


https://imgur.com/a/FF4JYTe


1. First of all, this armor is most likely made of linen like most other tube and yoke/type 4 armors. Like many Etruscan examples, it is perhaps stitched together in an ornate way, with the seams being a different color from the white (likely bleached) linen.

2. Now that its material and construction are assumed, does that pattern on the top part look familiar? The original it can be barely made out, the first reconstruction seems to capture most details, and the drawings of all those Etruscan armors from paintings (third picture) has perhaps the most crucial clue. The pattern looks pretty much like the Mars of Todi pattern. The main difference being that there is a middle section that doesn't have any clear seams (maybe the intersecting red lines?). Those segments look about roughly the same size as the "lamellae" on the Mars of Todi.

3. On that third picture where it is drawn individually (top center), look at the bottom. The bottom row is in the same pattern as the top. Now, imagine if that middle section was made in the same way. Wouldn't that look pretty similar to the Mars of Todi?


I can't stress this enough, this is just speculation. I don't make armor or anything like that, so my speculations on how it might be made or how flexible it might be are pretty much just out of my ass. I'm also probably missing some information, and it might be impossible to know. However, from my current knowledge I don't know of: A) Any other clear depictions of lamellar armor of roughly this time and place, or B) Any recovered lamellae from any archaeological sites. If anyone knows of evidence for either, please let me know.

If it is the case that this "lamellar" armor is more likely linen and that no other cases can be found, it might be prudent to update the Sacred band. Its lamellar armor might be replaced with different metal armor, or it can be replaced with linen armor (tube and yoke) instead which should then lead to armor being reduced by a point.

If you got to this point, thanks for bearing with me for the whole thing. I'd love to hear additional information and perspectives on this. Also, ask if you need clarity. I write as I think, making it a jumbled mess.

[Sar1n]

I'm actually seeing this piece for the first time, and looking at the armor, I find it hard to believe that it was supposed to be metal. It's too tight in some places for inflexible, metallic lamellae.

A little thing though...it's yoke, not yolk. Yolk is the yellow center of the egg.

[Hirtius]

I'm actually seeing this piece for the first time, and looking at the armor, I find it hard to believe that it was supposed to be metal. It's too tight in some places for inflexible, metallic lamellae.

A little thing though...it's yoke, not yolk. Yolk is the yellow center of the egg.

Oops, that’s kind of embarrassing. It’s late and I was typing fast, I’m not sure if it was me or the spellcheck. Probably me. I’ll fix it.

There we go, if I missed one just assume I’m speculating about a fearsome armor used to terrorize friend and for alike with the smell of rotten eggs.

[Trarco]

I'm actually seeing this piece for the first time, and looking at the armor, I find it hard to believe that it was supposed to be metal. It's too tight in some places for inflexible, metallic lamellae.

Actually, that's not what several researchers think. For example, Michael J. Taylor, a historian who has researched the Etruscan identity through, for example, the analysis of the panoplies, understood that armour as a lamellar one, surely formed by metallic plates sewn to a an organic material such as leather or fabric. In any case, it there might be several interpretations in regard to the nature of this armour. Actually, it was made before I joined the team, so I don't know the original concept, but I guess they decided to represent an interpretation similar to the one I mentioned above.

[Satapatiš]

It's almost certainly made of fabric. Etruscan "hellenizing" sculptural art can be very literal. Every line and wrinkle is rendered. If it was lamellar, then cords holding plates together would be rendered. If it was scale, rectangular scales would be rendered looking like scales. Especially in the lost wax cast like this piece. They modeled individual hair (!).

Rarely you have to wonder what is shown in Etruscan art. A few examples how literal this art can be:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/249091
https://arthur.io/art/anonymous-etru...450-b-c?crtr=1

There are examples of Scythian cultural area scale and lamellar made in T&Y cut, but they don't look like this piece and wouldn't end looking like this piece if rendered by an Etruscan artist.

[Hirtius]

Actually, that's not what several researchers think. For example, Michael J. Taylor, a historian who has researched the Etruscan identity through, for example, the analysis of the panoplies, understood that armour as a lamellar one, surely formed by metallic plates sewn to a an organic material such as leather or fabric. In any case, it there might be several interpretations in regard to the nature of this armour. Actually, it was made before I joined the team, so I don't know the original concept, but I guess they decided to represent an interpretation similar to the one I mentioned above.

The paper I’ve read by Michael J. Taylor (“Etruscan Identity and Service in the Roman army”), he doesn’t seem to provide any insight into why it’s made or why it’s lamellar. He identifies it as a unique Etruscan armor among a Greek panoply, and said it was an “expensive and intricate design”, and nothing else. He cites “Robinson 1975, 162”, which I assume is pg. 162 of H. Russell Robinson’s 1975 book “The Armour of Imperial Rome”, which I can’t find a way to access. I don’t know what that book says, but a notable absence is discussing physical evidence of the armor. I’ve not seen anything regarding lamellae being discovered, and I also haven’t seen any additional frescoes. Curiously enough, he mentions that Aldrete speculates that the armor is linen (which I didn’t know before posting this despite owning the book, oops).

What I did learn from Michael J. Taylor was two more examples of armor that seem to be in a similar/same style. However, neither example has given me any insight into the materials and construction of the armor. One point of interest might be that the segments are smaller on the Mars of Todi, though I’m guessing it might be individual variation or an issue with the medium.

Pediment of the temple of Apollo in Orvieto, Late 5th/ early 4th century BCE. In this example, we can’t see the upper half of the figure, which loses us crucial details.

https://imgur.com/a/oqUkpn5

This one is said to be from the 3rd century BCE. Other parts of the panoply are Roman/Celtic. Curiously, the shoulder pad segments aren’t even, but that’s likely an artistic issue.

https://imgur.com/a/h3Z9RCu