Medieval armorers: even our cheap armor is fitted to place the weight on the waist, rather than the shoulders. Modern manufacturers, military and police departments making carriers for plates 3 times as thick: Nah, it'll be fine.
@@PJDAltamirus0425 That's one area where medieval soldiers or say even Roman soldiers had an advantage. Even the professional medieval soldiers like condotierre weren't so much issues kit as much as they were expected to turn their pay and loot into kit so getting personal tailoring wasn't that hard. Armor and weapons makers were as common a part of the camp follower train as food sellers and prostitutes. Even the "professional" Roman legions post-Marian reforms are commonly described as having equipment guidelines that any miles who could afford to upgrade on could do so. A gladius had to be X length but you could buy a nicer quality one than you were issued has long as it was X length fine.
I think the medieval people had a stronger sense of fashion. The Romans did primarily want function whereas the medieval people did also want funktion, but status, appearance and fashion was more important to them.
That's in large part I believe because the Roman armour was equipment developed and distributed by the State, where they would want something functional and easy to mass produce. In the Medieval period people had to buy their own equipment, so would care more about the details. Actually if you look further back in history at the Republican era, the Roman armour also had a bit more character I would say, with more features that weren't entirely practical such as we see with the Italo-Corinthian helmet worn primarily by the Triarii.
With the vast knowledge this man possesses, he should make a full fledged documentary on a medieval topic. Heck, the entire community of swords should collab in one.
@Bold it wasn't abandoned by the Romans because it was badly designed...otherwise they wouldn't have used it FOR 300 FUCKING YEARS They just abandoned it for Lorica Hamata (roman chainmail) because it has less strain on logistics and maintenance and more comfortable for the soldiers
For me brigandine is more aesthetically appealing. Heck, even late chinese officer uniform are basically true studded armor. They just mimicking the outer profile of their brigandine, without actually had metal plates inside.
The side by side comparison is beautiful! I love the yin-yang qualities of nighttime on the brigandine side, and daytime on the segmentata side, as well as the blue vs red coloring on your respective outfits. And the medieval background on the left juxtaposed with the ancient Roman artwork on the right is just so satisfying. 10/10, Metatron :D
Glorious! I’ve been waiting for this one. I wonder which one you’ll prefer ultimately! My heart is definitely fixed in Ancient Rome, but the brigandine is exquisite. ⚔️
Well, it's an iconic design, kept for quite long by a long-lasting powerful empire. It has some prestige attached to it. But I prefer the esthetics of the brigandine. The color contrast between the rivets and the fabric is really pleasing.
@@nicklab1927 from an aesthetic point of view, the brigandine has the huge pro that since it's fabric on the outside it can be whatever colour you like, while an iron armour can have some variations yes but not nearly enough compared. I personally love the segmentata, but I just love the colour of steel and how shiny it is, if my favorite colour were, say, green, probably a green brigandine would fit my tastes more.
@@toropazzoide I don't know how long the steel would stay shiny though. Unless if you polish it and protect constantly (I'm quite sure the legions would have some sort of routine to keep their kit nice and clean).
Well they were italians. Off course they would want to look sexy. That's why they were always fighting with their neighbours. It's all about looking hot for those red haired fair keltic hotties and buxom germanic maidens.
We need more of the "Silly Hat" in videos. Anyway this was a very interesting look at the two pieces of armor. Honestly I really love the Brigandine. For my next Tales Of Orlen graphic novel I've been working on figuring out how to draw Brigandine's easily, because obviously with all those rivets it could quickly become a nightmare, I've managed make it kind of easy but at the moment it's still fairly complicated to draw so I think I'll have to limit its use to that of main or special characters so that I don't have to draw thirty men wearing Brigs in one scene. Thanks again for the video and have a wonderful day, Metatron.
According to Shad's video on the brigandine there were solid plate cuirasses(I think thats the plural) that were riveted to fabric and they had less rivets so maybe if you like that version's look and function you could try it on a richer character that needs to be drawn a lot
@@amirhosseinmaghsoodi388 Yeah I did end up going with the cuirass with less rivets design that you mentioned. Still pretty tricky to draw but definitely simpler :)
That is an exquisite looking brigandine. I've long said my character in my D&D game wears a brigandine; now I was able to send this video to my group and say "His armor looks just like this, only green." *chef's kiss*
I like how the brigandine protects a knight in battle and then can hold it's own on the banquet afterwards. Edit: Hi,Raf. If you're reading this, I think we found a next great topic for you to explore.
@@Overlord99762 I don't know about that, wearing armour at balls and festivities happened even after armour was abandoned as a military item. not saying it was definately done all the time, but it was fashionable to wear armour, or partial armour sometimes in the post medieval era. there is armour even specifically made for festivities and balls (that is too thin for protection and that we have records saying it wasn't for protection). so it happening in medieval times too would not supprise me.
@@matthiuskoenig3378 I imagine military leaders and d}such, like wearing a cuirass with the medals and all, but I have to research that, I cannot picture a knight going to a ball or feast clad in full plate.
@@Overlord99762 oh for sure, but then again there was that one french hussar general that went to a ball in full battledress, horse and all. (if the tale i remember reading about is true, when i make these statements i tend to try and find them again. and couldn't in my relatively quick research, i feel like it was LaSalle. Edit 2: found it, yes it was General Lasalle)
@@cegesh1459 : At school we read the theater piece ,Wilhelm Tell' from Friedrich Schiller. There i first saw the word ,Reisige' and was rather astonished, because i knew only ,Reisig' as thin branches.
Salve, Metatron! Nothing can match the peak aesthetic that is the Lorica Segmenta in my humble opinion, but both sets of armor you have are so GORGEOUS! Amazing and educational as always.
one thing that is worth mentioning in your comfort/mobility tests that may have favored the brigandine is you omitted any form of shoulder defense. With a high quality example like yours it's very likely that whoever was wearing it would have some form of defense for his arms as well even if that was just in the form of mail sleeves or a 3/4 length sleeved shirt of mail. plate options would also be appropriate for that particular brigandine but not always used. Cool video though, I really love that style of brigandine and the blue velvet with the brass rivets is a great color combination.
Can you make a video about the coat of arms and colours used by medival knights, men-at-arms and peasants in an army? How would an medival army actually have looked like color wise?
With the exeption of small bodyguard squads the ,fighters' had not been uniformed. Perhaps they had the same simple sign painted or sewed(?) on their jacket. When in late 17th century uniforms became common, there had been up to the end of colourfull uniforms arround 1910 in every army allways some troops, which had uniforms in other colours than usual. When now troops of the same army had different uniforms, it became a problem, when allied troops fought together, who is enemy and who an ally? For this reason, armbinds or sashes had been used, or simpler, the soldiers fixed, for example a little branch or a handfull straw as sign at their hats. I don' t know, if it is true, for a special ceremony the royal danish guard still apeares with some straw at their hats.
@@brittakriep2938 Hey, thanks for the answer! Markings like arm patches, sashes and so on make sense, but do we actually have any historical evidence for that? Unfortunately i wasn't able to find any... Would knightly orders be more uniform? For example the knights templar or teutonic knights? In modern depictions those orders always seem to be in pretty much one color scheme.
@@s.w.4409 : For the case, you visit Germany, in the town Bad Mergentheim , in state Baden- Württemberg there is the museum of the ,Deutscher Orden', because this territory was the largest one, they had after the loss of Prussia. When i was there in 2019, i remember that they had a kind of uniform in Renaissance Time, depending on the rank ( for example Komtur), but in medieval time i don't remember, if they realy had a uniform in modern sense, or only of similar style and colour. Also in the same region is a museum of the Johanniter or Maltese Order, i think in the rather small town of Kirchberg an der Jagst (?) .
As colorful as the average civilian population which is much more colorful that movies show. All but the poorest could afford dyed cloth and stuff like madder red or woad blue is dirt cheap. I think Skallagrim has a video on it.
@@BigWillyG1000 : But you perhaps don't know, but in Germany there had been ,Kleiderordnungen' ( dress-/ clothorders) in which was regulated, what kind of dress was allowed to the different classes of society. This lasted at least to 16th/17th century.
My opinion about asthetics is that the brigandine wins because it has cloth on the outside, resulting in more varied designs and patterns while keeping the protection unchanged. The segmentata while it has a gorgeous design, it can get a bit old because its plates are on the outside so you can only get so creative without harming It's functionallity.
I've asked this question in another video but I'll do it again: There are a lot of different types for pretty much all the military equipment used by Roman legionaries, for example: Gladius Mainz Gladius Fulham Lorica Segmenta Coldbridge Lorica Segmenta Kalkriese The different variations of the Roman helmets from the Montefortino to the Imperial Italic That being said, what are the most effective types of variations for each of all those weapons? is there even a better version? If not, when is X version the most optimal weapon for Y situation? We need a lot more in depth videos about Roman warfare!
All the design variations are more about manufacturing than effectiveness. I personally like the Mainz Gladius by aesthetics and you could argue the longer tip compared to a Pompeii could assit with piercing through mail. But ultimately its more about manufacturing processes and mass production for such a large Empire and Army.
@@ArmouredProductions not entirely true, even when equipment was issued by the state a lot of legionaries could and in fact would buy at least armour fitted for them, so the local manufacturers adapted their style to the preferences of the legio/nes which was influenced by what enemy they fought or by the specialization of its troops.
@@ArmouredProductions Better thruster, better tapering across the blade. The Pompeii type is parallel sided and has a 45 degree triangular tip, all made to make the swords easy an cheaper to make.
Both are state of the art for their time. Brigandine, at first glance, might not appear like a much better armour than the roman segmentata, but all it's little design improvements add up to something much more comfortable to wear, and that is hugely important.
@Bold Mail is great but it clearly doesn't offer the same order of protection as plate. Mail also got abandoned in favour of newer armour, that doesn't mean it wasn't state of the art for a long time.
Hello Raff! First of all, thank you for your vids, for your working, I have learnt a lot. This is the first vid, in which I have different thoughts. As you mention, the brigandine is more labor intensive and requires more plates etc. OK, so this needed for the more tailored qualities. In the other hand from design perspective the segmentata was able to give the adequate level of protection, with much less components. If we consider the technologies of the periods, and the numbers required to sustain the armies, I would say from design perspective the segmentata is the winner. Easy to produce, much cheaper, easy to maintain, yet still tailor able for the individual solder till a certain level, and gives a reasonable protection, especially used with scutum. The other point is the weight of the shoulder protection. As I am not a specialist, but still can see, the difference is significant in protection. The roman piece covers more of the shoulder area, and lot of the upper arm, what brigandine is not. Maybe, I am wrong, but I would go for the segmentata, especially if I have to fulfill the needs of an army. Again, just design aspect.
As I did write but forgot to say, the brigandine can be supplemented with shoulder protection, which would be suspended through points, so you woulnd't feel them at all. Also early brigandines had a lot less plates, but in the late 15th century they specifically chose to increase the number of plates, because it gives more mobility and a lot more flexibility.
@@metatronyt Firstly, you honor me with your answer. Thanks, I see the point. And understand why a good brigandine is a better piece of craftsmanship. But still the gear of the legiones for me. ;) Freakin' fanboy! Keep up the good work man, and Roma invicta! :D
Very interesting comparison between the two. I see how the lorica segmentata is advanced for its age but the brigandine is put together so nicely and it is very easy to remove
it's beautiful, in that colour in that kinda silk, you are very lucky to have the kind of support which makes it possible for you to obtain and then show us such pieces, nice one Metatron
i think the reason they preferred to individually lace each fastener for the segmentata's front is because in case of blade damage with a one lace criss-cross tecnique you would find yourself with an open front in one go.
I was thinking the same thing. Also it's hard to fix when you're in the front line. Personally i would want to be as sure as i could be that nothing like that happens.
When you brought up the point that a lorica would seem as ancient to a medieval warrior as the brigandine does to us, I thought of how *advanced* the brigandine would be to a legionary. The weight distribution, hourglass shape, plate connections and fasteners, and flexibility, just a few of many improvements over a thousand years. Propelled by science and driven by battle tested observations.
While watching the video few thoughts popped up in my mind. 1) Roman legionary would look at Medieval Brigandine like we some kind of super-advance technology, they would see the difference 2) technology progress matters, as Shad said in his video about Jericho sword - and how he suggested that the origin of 'magical' weapons and armors may come from technological differences. A steel sword facing bronze weapons and armor would look magical with it's ability to pierce them. A steel armor (especially full-plate) would look invincible by a previous era standards. 3) You should've put normal everyday cloths moving routine near the other two with armor, for comparison.
Another benefit to the brigantine is that the outer fabric can come in any color or material, provided you have the money. Shadiversity's is maroon and I'm thinking of picking up a black one myself.
If I was a medieval knight, I definitely would were that during banquets or social gatherings. It's comfortable and fashionable, aslo a decent amount of protection.
Mmmm... Love your vids, been following you since the very beginning, your channel has evolved in something way more professional and dedicated, but too many ads mate, watch out with that.
You mentioned it briefly, but I want to talk a little more about balance. In my experience with modern body armour, its elevates the centre of gravity. Its more difficult to stay stable while walking, especially on a challenging terrain. We where all traind soldier, but every few seconds someone fell. We walked with us a citizen, that wasn't wearing an armour, and he walked more easily than all of us. The armour on the shoulders in the segmentata probably elevate the centre of gravity a lot. I think that for long march, the bridandin will be way more comfortable.
One problem with the Lorica Segmentata is the joints are visible, meaning it's a lot easier for an opponent to slip a blade into the gaps. BUT it's also nowhere near as hot as brigandine. Brigandine's fabric just traps heat, but Segmentata allows for much better cooling. In terms of overall protection, they are very similar, although with Segmentata's vulnerabilities being visible I'd have to give a very slight edge to Brigandine. If you create Segmentata with medieval-grade steel, they'd be close enough for their differences to be irrelevant.
It seems to me that there is a clear line of evolution between the segmentata and the brigandine. While the segmentata is a very solid armour it does have visible openings around the armpits and slightily in towards the sternum where the weirer could be vulnerable to thrusting attacks while as the brigandine has its protection reaching straight up and over the shoulders. Having said that the segmentata clearly has better shoulder and upper arm protection until you factor in that brigandine would most likely be worn with a chain shirt as well as pouldrons, bucklers and gauntlets which would protect the entire arms and hands (which the segmemtata leaves exposed). In terms of comfort, I think the video makes it clear that the brigandine is by far the better option over time due to the weight being on the hips rather than on the shoulders. The next thing that comes to my mind is the question of which one would be easier for a soldier on the march to maintain? Considering that a soldier has to march over pretty much any condition from mud, rain and snow through to desert and tropical forests this could be a deciding factor over the course of a campaign - if not for the condition of the gear itself, but for how much energy and resources need to be put into keeping it working.
Your brigandine armor is more asthetically pleasing to me. If you stood next to Shad in his, even with his matching pauldrons, I would go with yours. 💙
Yo @metatron, I know you cover Romans a lot. How about covering the Roman/Byzantine rival of Parthia/Sassanid Persia? Give us insight into tactics, armor, weapons, etc. it’s a ridiculous amount of content that you can use and also helps understand why the Romans adapted to warfare on the Eastern front.
Something so expensive to create might only be possible under a large empire. The time period between those two inventions was full of smaller kingdoms in constant conflict
but with that blue velvet cover and brass studs the brigandine wouldn't be out of place at court during a banquet, if worn over a nice doublet, the lorica however would be totally out of place in a high society enviroment.
Thank you once again for a real and authentic teaching of those armours, if only our modern war fighting generals, politicians and metallurgical scientists and material chemists could get together with you at the same time over a nice cup of tea what could we create. But then again maybe that's not a good idea, maybe you should retire into a small unknown town with your family and know that what you have done thus far is more then what most people would ever hope to achieve, you have always been a stable and constant reminder of not only what we were capable of , but whats possible now, and for those almost as smart as you , what's install for our future, please take time to take stock of all your works, your best days may still be ahead of you. Jus
shifting weight to the hips feels better (i would argue it is better), but the downside is that it might restrict blood flow to the legs. not a lot, but on long journeys your legs will get tired faster. when i wear a weight belt (which puts all weight on the hips, to about the tune of 20lbs.) i get tired after hiking a mile to the coast. though i don't feel the weight as much when i put it on (or even after some time), i tend to put the weight belt over my shoulder for this very reason for long hikes. the weight is felt a lot more over the shoulder, but i don't get tired nearly as fast. of course i would say that on the hips is better overall for body armor as putting the weight on your back wears it out much faster than normal, even if you don't feel it. we know this from soldiers that have to wear body armor for 12+ hours a day in the field, resulting in back problems from normally healthy people within only a few deployments.
Question... When you say brigandine is more labour intensive... Is that entirely accurate... Because I've heard it said by yourself and other historians that making a larger solid metal plate takes a lot more skill and labour to make compared to smaller individual plates which are easier to make, by that metric surely the larger, chunkier plates of segmentata are a lot harder to make, particularly with bloomery steel?
Amazing video as always my good man. One question: Is the corrazina with it's bigger chest plates simply a contemporary variation of the brigandine or a later stage of it's evolution?
Actually the brigandine is back, today it’s called “flexible hard armor,” several companies make them, basically it’s just a brigandine with scales of modern ballistic steel or ceramic sewn to a ballistic nylon carrier.
one draw back on brigantine is that the fabric will soak sweat ,blood , water and mud making it very unclean after wearing for long period of time and may also result in the steel rusting , it much more easy to clean and maintain a segmentata
First, I know nothing about it, so I am just going by what I see on you. The Brigandine looks prettier. Though the Segmentata, I remember you wearing it for two weeks, and saying after a few days you did not notice you were wearing it anymore. And to my ignorant eye, it looks like you move a lot smoother and better in the Segmentata... It is like the Brigandine makes you go kind of stiff... maybe it is me. Also, you mention the way you closed the Segmentata, with the string. If one would cut that string in one place, the whole of the front would open up, so yea, I think it would be better to close them individually.. Must admit this is coming from somebody that has never held a sword or anything in my life... I am more interested in the history, than in going off to a battle field.. Much love to you, and thank you for another interesting video!!! Hugs 🤗
A few more things I'd like to ask: 1. How does the material and thickness compare? From what I understand, Roman steel would've been lower quality, but then again, most Brigandines (unless made for nobles) were made from "scrap" plates, often of variing quality and thickness. (Again, I might be wrong) 2. From what I can tell, the plates of Segmentata overlap such that you could theoretically thrust a sword from below into between the plates. The Brigandine on the other hand overlaps in the opposite direction (mostly?). Is this true, and how likely, in your opinion, would it be to get a blade in between plates? 3. Segmentata is very flat. In contrast, the Brigandine, besides the hourglass shape, looks to be more rounded at the front. Do you think that would help with glancing some blows? And would the cloth on top interfere with that in any way? (Like increased friction, or something?)
That is a nice shade of blue. A couple questions, one, I ran across a thread recently (ironically comparing segmentata and brigandine) where someone said that segmentata was a poor armor for heavy weapons, and that it was only good for use against arrows, I'm curious how accurate that is. Another question is assuming the segmentata was the same quality of steel as the brigandine, would it be as good, protection wise, as the brigandine?
On a strictly technical level, the only requirements to move from lorica segmentata to brigandine are the time of production. Witch equals cost of armor. This would be a big concern for a roman army witch has to arm thousands of soldiers. But for a late medieval man at arms, he would by and thus upgrade his armor set during his career (new chestplate, new helmet e.tc). Meaning there is room for evolution in the types of armor available. Basicly there is a market for selling cheap to expensive armor to a man at arms wich give rise to new types of armor. As for metal quality, of course you would like to have the best spring steel available, but it still works with iron, just not as good. The technical requirements to make a brigandine is riviting, platecutting and armor fitting. Not to mention you have to have the idea, time, some tools and materials. And a reason to do it.
@@QuentinStephens Ah yes. That was my point. All you need to make a brigandine would have been available as you in the roman period as you pointed out. I'm not good at writing in english and often get things in the wrong order. Sorry. My point is that it is technically possible, but the reason for making it, might not have come up yet. There are finer design aspects that becomes relevant first in later periods as weapons and tactics change. As an example you can see that the shape of Raf's brigandine leaves some room between the plates and the chest witch is relevant when someone hits you in the chest with a pollaxe or some other nasty medieval weapon as it helps soften the blow. That design aspect is not needed (to the same extent) in a roman battlefield. It's tiny things like that that sort of defines late medieval armor. It's more tactics and culture than technology (in a broad general sense). Sorry for the long texts.
Medieval armorers: even our cheap armor is fitted to place the weight on the waist, rather than the shoulders.
Modern manufacturers, military and police departments making carriers for plates 3 times as thick: Nah, it'll be fine.
thank you, i've talked to cops who didn't get that compromise gets no one what they want
Labour was cheap, iron was expensive
@@34566454332 Iron was not expensive, high carbon spring steel was
Army size has ballooned to the point that we haven't figured how to such tailoring logistically feasible.
@@PJDAltamirus0425 That's one area where medieval soldiers or say even Roman soldiers had an advantage. Even the professional medieval soldiers like condotierre weren't so much issues kit as much as they were expected to turn their pay and loot into kit so getting personal tailoring wasn't that hard. Armor and weapons makers were as common a part of the camp follower train as food sellers and prostitutes. Even the "professional" Roman legions post-Marian reforms are commonly described as having equipment guidelines that any miles who could afford to upgrade on could do so. A gladius had to be X length but you could buy a nicer quality one than you were issued has long as it was X length fine.
Just trying to imagine being Raf’s neighbor and watching him out on the balcony... lol
Raf's Neighbor: *laughs in Italian*
It's not bad I nean
Lol that's good stuff
@@MandalorSkyrd Didn't he move to the U.S. or not yet?
👁👄👁
Neighbor - "Dammit Raf I told you to stop parking your Ballista in my spot!"
Raf - "Testudo!"
Just imagine it all being shouted in Italian. Much better!
@@maximgun3833 even better: it all being shouted in Italian, with typical Italian "talks by the hands, to the hands"...
I think the medieval people had a stronger sense of fashion. The Romans did primarily want function whereas the medieval people did also want funktion, but status, appearance and fashion was more important to them.
That's in large part I believe because the Roman armour was equipment developed and distributed by the State, where they would want something functional and easy to mass produce. In the Medieval period people had to buy their own equipment, so would care more about the details. Actually if you look further back in history at the Republican era, the Roman armour also had a bit more character I would say, with more features that weren't entirely practical such as we see with the Italo-Corinthian helmet worn primarily by the Triarii.
I have one thing to say toga praetexta
"stronger sense of fashion" is a really relative term.
I find Roman fashion to be more appealing but that's my opinion
That is like talking about modern soldiers fashion sense when making comments on their uniforms.
Crush: do you know how to dance?
Me: 3:05
Funny shit 😆
Well done Sir
I only have one question: when are you going to make that italian masterpiece cooking video?
I mean, even Wranglerstar made a cooking video.
I mean, even DragonForce has made a few.
@@ctrlaltdebug and to make things worse metatron is italian and there are shit ton of italian masterpieces of food
@@ktheterkuceder6825 He did cook pasta twice in his video about painting some figures
@@cahallo5964 Yes. But I want him to cook and shows how he does it.
With the vast knowledge this man possesses, he should make a full fledged documentary on a medieval topic. Heck, the entire community of swords should collab in one.
So, him, Skallagrim, Scholagladiatoria, and Shadiversity? Lindybeige maybe?
Ngl itd just endup being a massive cringe fest
@@josephgallo5170 Why is that?
@@OnlyKaerius that's the dream team.
@@depressedcheeseburger3598 Could also toss in Tod's Workshop.
*motions to the brigandine*
This is brilliant!
*moves back to the segmentata*
But, I LIKE this...
more like the other way around
@Bold it wasn't abandoned by the Romans because it was badly designed...otherwise they wouldn't have used it FOR 300 FUCKING YEARS
They just abandoned it for Lorica Hamata (roman chainmail) because it has less strain on logistics and maintenance and more comfortable for the soldiers
For me brigandine is more aesthetically appealing. Heck, even late chinese officer uniform are basically true studded armor. They just mimicking the outer profile of their brigandine, without actually had metal plates inside.
@Bold ok lol, believe the lies you tell yourself lol
@@steyn1775 End because of economic crisis that they had.
The side by side comparison is beautiful! I love the yin-yang qualities of nighttime on the brigandine side, and daytime on the segmentata side, as well as the blue vs red coloring on your respective outfits. And the medieval background on the left juxtaposed with the ancient Roman artwork on the right is just so satisfying. 10/10, Metatron :D
Glad you liked It!
Glorious! I’ve been waiting for this one. I wonder which one you’ll prefer ultimately! My heart is definitely fixed in Ancient Rome, but the brigandine is exquisite. ⚔️
I love the TH-cam history loving community
Yeah, nice to look at, but impractical in the field.
@@magister.mortran,
Both of these are faithful reproductions of historical armour, so they were both _actually_ used in the field in their heyday.
@@magister.mortran The brigandine was ARMOR worn in battlefields, for goodness' sakes! Watch the video before you decide to say stupid shit like that!
Roman armour just has that "je ne sais quoi" that adds the sexy factor that nothing can compare with
Well, it's an iconic design, kept for quite long by a long-lasting powerful empire. It has some prestige attached to it.
But I prefer the esthetics of the brigandine. The color contrast between the rivets and the fabric is really pleasing.
@@nicklab1927 from an aesthetic point of view, the brigandine has the huge pro that since it's fabric on the outside it can be whatever colour you like, while an iron armour can have some variations yes but not nearly enough compared. I personally love the segmentata, but I just love the colour of steel and how shiny it is, if my favorite colour were, say, green, probably a green brigandine would fit my tastes more.
@@toropazzoide I don't know how long the steel would stay shiny though. Unless if you polish it and protect constantly (I'm quite sure the legions would have some sort of routine to keep their kit nice and clean).
Especially cause you can selfhug that little bit more in it! XD
Well they were italians. Off course they would want to look sexy. That's why they were always fighting with their neighbours. It's all about looking hot for those red haired fair keltic hotties and buxom germanic maidens.
We need more of the "Silly Hat" in videos. Anyway this was a very interesting look at the two pieces of armor. Honestly I really love the Brigandine. For my next Tales Of Orlen graphic novel I've been working on figuring out how to draw Brigandine's easily, because obviously with all those rivets it could quickly become a nightmare, I've managed make it kind of easy but at the moment it's still fairly complicated to draw so I think I'll have to limit its use to that of main or special characters so that I don't have to draw thirty men wearing Brigs in one scene.
Thanks again for the video and have a wonderful day, Metatron.
According to Shad's video on the brigandine there were solid plate cuirasses(I think thats the plural) that were riveted to fabric and they had less rivets so maybe if you like that version's look and function you could try it on a richer character that needs to be drawn a lot
@@amirhosseinmaghsoodi388 Yeah I did end up going with the cuirass with less rivets design that you mentioned. Still pretty tricky to draw but definitely simpler :)
That is an exquisite looking brigandine. I've long said my character in my D&D game wears a brigandine; now I was able to send this video to my group and say "His armor looks just like this, only green." *chef's kiss*
I like how the brigandine protects a knight in battle and then can hold it's own on the banquet afterwards.
Edit: Hi,Raf. If you're reading this, I think we found a next great topic for you to explore.
Doubt the nobles at court would see the brigandine as nothing more than a modern plate carrier
@@Overlord99762 I don't know about that, wearing armour at balls and festivities happened even after armour was abandoned as a military item. not saying it was definately done all the time, but it was fashionable to wear armour, or partial armour sometimes in the post medieval era. there is armour even specifically made for festivities and balls (that is too thin for protection and that we have records saying it wasn't for protection).
so it happening in medieval times too would not supprise me.
@@matthiuskoenig3378 I imagine military leaders and d}such, like wearing a cuirass with the medals and all, but I have to research that, I cannot picture a knight going to a ball or feast clad in full plate.
@@Overlord99762 oh for sure, but then again there was that one french hussar general that went to a ball in full battledress, horse and all. (if the tale i remember reading about is true, when i make these statements i tend to try and find them again. and couldn't in my relatively quick research, i feel like it was LaSalle. Edit 2: found it, yes it was General Lasalle)
@@matthiuskoenig3378 what an absolute chad
the last time I was that early, rome was still some town owned by the etruscans
Haha nice 😂
I will be perfectly honest, after seeing this, I want to see Raph try out a set of landsknecht garb now.
Yes!
Reissläufer.
@@cegesh1459 : Wasn' t this used for swiss mercenaries?
@@brittakriep2938 You are exactly right.
@@cegesh1459 : At school we read the theater piece ,Wilhelm Tell' from Friedrich Schiller. There i first saw the word ,Reisige' and was rather astonished, because i knew only ,Reisig' as thin branches.
The helmets look like they are gigantic sitting on your table closer to the camera
Salve, Metatron! Nothing can match the peak aesthetic that is the Lorica Segmenta in my humble opinion, but both sets of armor you have are so GORGEOUS! Amazing and educational as always.
one thing that is worth mentioning in your comfort/mobility tests that may have favored the brigandine is you omitted any form of shoulder defense. With a high quality example like yours it's very likely that whoever was wearing it would have some form of defense for his arms as well even if that was just in the form of mail sleeves or a 3/4 length sleeved shirt of mail. plate options would also be appropriate for that particular brigandine but not always used. Cool video though, I really love that style of brigandine and the blue velvet with the brass rivets is a great color combination.
That beginning though... 👌
Your collection is quite amazing!
I ask for it. My man delivers. Great video.
Love the production quality of this video! Keep up the good work, Raf.
Can you make a video about the coat of arms and colours used by medival knights, men-at-arms and peasants in an army? How would an medival army actually have looked like color wise?
With the exeption of small bodyguard squads the ,fighters' had not been uniformed. Perhaps they had the same simple sign painted or sewed(?) on their jacket. When in late 17th century uniforms became common, there had been up to the end of colourfull uniforms arround 1910 in every army allways some troops, which had uniforms in other colours than usual. When now troops of the same army had different uniforms, it became a problem, when allied troops fought together, who is enemy and who an ally? For this reason, armbinds or sashes had been used, or simpler, the soldiers fixed, for example a little branch or a handfull straw as sign at their hats. I don' t know, if it is true, for a special ceremony the royal danish guard still apeares with some straw at their hats.
@@brittakriep2938 Hey, thanks for the answer! Markings like arm patches, sashes and so on make sense, but do we actually have any historical evidence for that? Unfortunately i wasn't able to find any...
Would knightly orders be more uniform? For example the knights templar or teutonic knights? In modern depictions those orders always seem to be in pretty much one color scheme.
@@s.w.4409 : For the case, you visit Germany, in the town Bad Mergentheim , in state Baden- Württemberg there is the museum of the ,Deutscher Orden', because this territory was the largest one, they had after the loss of Prussia. When i was there in 2019, i remember that they had a kind of uniform in Renaissance Time, depending on the rank ( for example Komtur), but in medieval time i don't remember, if they realy had a uniform in modern sense, or only of similar style and colour. Also in the same region is a museum of the Johanniter or Maltese Order, i think in the rather small town of Kirchberg an der Jagst (?) .
As colorful as the average civilian population which is much more colorful that movies show. All but the poorest could afford dyed cloth and stuff like madder red or woad blue is dirt cheap. I think Skallagrim has a video on it.
@@BigWillyG1000 : But you perhaps don't know, but in Germany there had been ,Kleiderordnungen' ( dress-/ clothorders) in which was regulated, what kind of dress was allowed to the different classes of society. This lasted at least to 16th/17th century.
I love the slightly porno intro.
"Slightly"
He is a man of many talents...
My opinion about asthetics is that the brigandine wins because it has cloth on the outside, resulting in more varied designs and patterns while keeping the protection unchanged. The segmentata while it has a gorgeous design, it can get a bit old because its plates are on the outside so you can only get so creative without harming It's functionallity.
Listen to that music, he's not even hiding the fact this is armor porn.
I've asked this question in another video but I'll do it again:
There are a lot of different types for pretty much all the military equipment used by Roman legionaries, for example:
Gladius Mainz
Gladius Fulham
Lorica Segmenta Coldbridge
Lorica Segmenta Kalkriese
The different variations of the Roman helmets from the Montefortino to the Imperial Italic
That being said, what are the most effective types of variations for each of all those weapons? is there even a better version? If not, when is X version the most optimal weapon for Y situation?
We need a lot more in depth videos about Roman warfare!
All the design variations are more about manufacturing than effectiveness. I personally like the Mainz Gladius by aesthetics and you could argue the longer tip compared to a Pompeii could assit with piercing through mail.
But ultimately its more about manufacturing processes and mass production for such a large Empire and Army.
@@ArmouredProductions not entirely true, even when equipment was issued by the state a lot of legionaries could and in fact would buy at least armour fitted for them, so the local manufacturers adapted their style to the preferences of the legio/nes which was influenced by what enemy they fought or by the specialization of its troops.
@@francesco3772 then tell me the advantage of a Fulham Gladius versus a Pompeii Gladius.
@@ArmouredProductions ask the romans
@@ArmouredProductions Better thruster, better tapering across the blade.
The Pompeii type is parallel sided and has a 45 degree triangular tip, all made to make the swords easy an cheaper to make.
Both are state of the art for their time. Brigandine, at first glance, might not appear like a much better armour than the roman segmentata, but all it's little design improvements add up to something much more comfortable to wear, and that is hugely important.
@Bold Mail is great but it clearly doesn't offer the same order of protection as plate.
Mail also got abandoned in favour of newer armour, that doesn't mean it wasn't state of the art for a long time.
Hello Raff! First of all, thank you for your vids, for your working, I have learnt a lot. This is the first vid, in which I have different thoughts. As you mention, the brigandine is more labor intensive and requires more plates etc. OK, so this needed for the more tailored qualities. In the other hand from design perspective the segmentata was able to give the adequate level of protection, with much less components. If we consider the technologies of the periods, and the numbers required to sustain the armies, I would say from design perspective the segmentata is the winner. Easy to produce, much cheaper, easy to maintain, yet still tailor able for the individual solder till a certain level, and gives a reasonable protection, especially used with scutum. The other point is the weight of the shoulder protection. As I am not a specialist, but still can see, the difference is significant in protection. The roman piece covers more of the shoulder area, and lot of the upper arm, what brigandine is not.
Maybe, I am wrong, but I would go for the segmentata, especially if I have to fulfill the needs of an army. Again, just design aspect.
As I did write but forgot to say, the brigandine can be supplemented with shoulder protection, which would be suspended through points, so you woulnd't feel them at all. Also early brigandines had a lot less plates, but in the late 15th century they specifically chose to increase the number of plates, because it gives more mobility and a lot more flexibility.
@@metatronyt Firstly, you honor me with your answer. Thanks, I see the point. And understand why a good brigandine is a better piece of craftsmanship. But still the gear of the legiones for me. ;) Freakin' fanboy! Keep up the good work man, and Roma invicta! :D
My comment is totally irrelevant but I wanted to say again how brilliant your Soul Calibur video is. Genius idea and a daunting level of work.
Very interesting comparison between the two. I see how the lorica segmentata is advanced for its age but the brigandine is put together so nicely and it is very easy to remove
This was fun comparing two sets of armor over a thousand years difference! Thank you for sharing.
I´m triying to figure out why you put Flamenco music, but I love it!
it's beautiful, in that colour in that kinda silk, you are very lucky to have the kind of support which makes it possible for you to obtain and then show us such pieces, nice one Metatron
Love your videos Metatron. Very informative and engaging!
where can i get such a beautifully silly historically accurate medieval hat?
i think the reason they preferred to individually lace each fastener for the segmentata's front is because in case of blade damage with a one lace criss-cross tecnique you would find yourself with an open front in one go.
I was thinking the same thing. Also it's hard to fix when you're in the front line. Personally i would want to be as sure as i could be that nothing like that happens.
Amazing comparison! I love the lorica segmentata at the end of the day, so majestic and badass
Those Romans were clapping armored cheeks even back in those olden times! You da best ever Metatron!!!!!
Enjoyed the video a lot. Good job!
When you brought up the point that a lorica would seem as ancient to a medieval warrior as the brigandine does to us, I thought of how *advanced* the brigandine would be to a legionary. The weight distribution, hourglass shape, plate connections and fasteners, and flexibility, just a few of many improvements over a thousand years. Propelled by science and driven by battle tested observations.
During the mobility testing I can't help being reminded about all those toy articulation reviews on youtube.
While watching the video few thoughts popped up in my mind.
1) Roman legionary would look at Medieval Brigandine like we some kind of super-advance technology, they would see the difference
2) technology progress matters, as Shad said in his video about Jericho sword - and how he suggested that the origin of 'magical' weapons and armors may come from technological differences. A steel sword facing bronze weapons and armor would look magical with it's ability to pierce them. A steel armor (especially full-plate) would look invincible by a previous era standards.
3) You should've put normal everyday cloths moving routine near the other two with armor, for comparison.
Shad looses this brigandine show off the vivid blue you have is exquisite.
Am I the only one that imagined that a deep low pithed voice would start describing the armor in the intro?
Hi M! Man you are so good; and precise with your explanations; much applause!!! Thanks.
At some parts you look like you're preparing for a roman/medieval themed adult movie
Yes!!!!! I've been waiting for this.
Another benefit to the brigantine is that the outer fabric can come in any color or material, provided you have the money. Shadiversity's is maroon and I'm thinking of picking up a black one myself.
Scholiagladiatoria's got a black one if I remember correctly. Skallagrim has a green one. Lot of choice :)
go go brigadine Rangers
If I was a medieval knight, I definitely would were that during banquets or social gatherings. It's comfortable and fashionable, aslo a decent amount of protection.
It rusts and impossible to fix
@@jonc2914 I guess so, but theres methods to combat both of thoss
Mmmm...
Love your vids, been following you since the very beginning, your channel has evolved in something way more professional and dedicated, but too many ads mate, watch out with that.
Thank you! And I dont control the amount of Adds
You mentioned it briefly, but I want to talk a little more about balance. In my experience with modern body armour, its elevates the centre of gravity. Its more difficult to stay stable while walking, especially on a challenging terrain. We where all traind soldier, but every few seconds someone fell. We walked with us a citizen, that wasn't wearing an armour, and he walked more easily than all of us.
The armour on the shoulders in the segmentata probably elevate the centre of gravity a lot. I think that for long march, the bridandin will be way more comfortable.
Meanwhile in Australia: "Mom! The polka dots man is outside again!"
Le velours bleu de ta brigantine est vraiment sublime!
Bien d'accord, et c'est d'autant plus le cas avec le contraste des rivets en laiton!
4:07 his face is like "fuck what did i do with the Brigandine again? ahh fuck it just do some moves"
Metatrons neighbors:
"Hes doing calisthenics in mid-evil armor, again... "
One problem with the Lorica Segmentata is the joints are visible, meaning it's a lot easier for an opponent to slip a blade into the gaps. BUT it's also nowhere near as hot as brigandine. Brigandine's fabric just traps heat, but Segmentata allows for much better cooling. In terms of overall protection, they are very similar, although with Segmentata's vulnerabilities being visible I'd have to give a very slight edge to Brigandine. If you create Segmentata with medieval-grade steel, they'd be close enough for their differences to be irrelevant.
Your high
@@jonc2914 how does he get back down? Tell us your reasoning
Me just listening to this video: We now interrupt this historical comparison for a snazzy guitar number.
It seems to me that there is a clear line of evolution between the segmentata and the brigandine. While the segmentata is a very solid armour it does have visible openings around the armpits and slightily in towards the sternum where the weirer could be vulnerable to thrusting attacks while as the brigandine has its protection reaching straight up and over the shoulders. Having said that the segmentata clearly has better shoulder and upper arm protection until you factor in that brigandine would most likely be worn with a chain shirt as well as pouldrons, bucklers and gauntlets which would protect the entire arms and hands (which the segmemtata leaves exposed).
In terms of comfort, I think the video makes it clear that the brigandine is by far the better option over time due to the weight being on the hips rather than on the shoulders. The next thing that comes to my mind is the question of which one would be easier for a soldier on the march to maintain? Considering that a soldier has to march over pretty much any condition from mud, rain and snow through to desert and tropical forests this could be a deciding factor over the course of a campaign - if not for the condition of the gear itself, but for how much energy and resources need to be put into keeping it working.
I would imagine less cloth would be more convenient for rain and mud. That was one of the problems with surcoats
3:04 i like this scene
The brigandine being blue have blue tone bg and the lorica segmentata having red-ish or warm tone
Kudos pure effort!
Thanks for explaining how the front of the brigandine works, I was really curious about that!
Your brigandine armor is more asthetically pleasing to me.
If you stood next to Shad in his, even with his matching pauldrons, I would go with yours. 💙
Personally I don't like hour glass asthetic but I understand the benefits of that shape
The best fashion channel :)
Yo @metatron, I know you cover Romans a lot. How about covering the Roman/Byzantine rival of Parthia/Sassanid Persia? Give us insight into tactics, armor, weapons, etc. it’s a ridiculous amount of content that you can use and also helps understand why the Romans adapted to warfare on the Eastern front.
Armor videos never get old
Great video.. keep spreading these wings 👍
I wonder why a lot of Europe seems to have abandoned plate armour (except helmet) between the time Segmentata was in use and the coat of plates?
Something so expensive to create might only be possible under a large empire. The time period between those two inventions was full of smaller kingdoms in constant conflict
The Roman armor *looks* way better imo. It's so iconic!
but with that blue velvet cover and brass studs the brigandine wouldn't be out of place at court during a banquet, if worn over a nice doublet, the lorica however would be totally out of place in a high society enviroment.
it looks cruder, which has its own kind of beauty.
these comparison videos are fun
Thank you once again for a real and authentic teaching of those armours, if only our modern war fighting generals, politicians and metallurgical scientists and material chemists could get together with you at the same time over a nice cup of tea what could we create. But then again maybe that's not a good idea, maybe you should retire into a small unknown town with your family and know that what you have done thus far is more then what most people would ever hope to achieve, you have always been a stable and constant reminder of not only what we were capable of , but whats possible now, and for those almost as smart as you , what's install for our future, please take time to take stock of all your works, your best days may still be ahead of you. Jus
Metatron really be setting up the mood with the music😂
I was thinking the inside looked a lot like segmentata when you displayed your brigandine the other day. It's like you read my mind.
I agree with evrything, with the note that lorica segmentata offers more protection to the shoulders and arms. The brigandine is basically a veste.
thank you Raph, i want to try to do one of these in modern materials and ballistic plate
I'm sure the legionaries would agree with you on that conclusion, especially those on sentry duty in the arid provinces.
shifting weight to the hips feels better (i would argue it is better), but the downside is that it might restrict blood flow to the legs. not a lot, but on long journeys your legs will get tired faster. when i wear a weight belt (which puts all weight on the hips, to about the tune of 20lbs.) i get tired after hiking a mile to the coast. though i don't feel the weight as much when i put it on (or even after some time), i tend to put the weight belt over my shoulder for this very reason for long hikes. the weight is felt a lot more over the shoulder, but i don't get tired nearly as fast.
of course i would say that on the hips is better overall for body armor as putting the weight on your back wears it out much faster than normal, even if you don't feel it. we know this from soldiers that have to wear body armor for 12+ hours a day in the field, resulting in back problems from normally healthy people within only a few deployments.
Intro song makes me feel I am in a Dating Sim.
I really like the copper alloy fixtures on the shoulders of the lorica segmentata.
3:05 NOW THIS IS THE CONTENT I NEED
That brigandine is really lovely 'Valois'-style blue and gold :)
I like that you included some Iberian music, lol
Personally I like simple looking armor more than any other.
Lorica Segmentata will always be my favorite.
Hey just a cool suggestion can you make a podcast. I would love to see a podcast
Question... When you say brigandine is more labour intensive... Is that entirely accurate... Because I've heard it said by yourself and other historians that making a larger solid metal plate takes a lot more skill and labour to make compared to smaller individual plates which are easier to make, by that metric surely the larger, chunkier plates of segmentata are a lot harder to make, particularly with bloomery steel?
Amazing video as always my good man. One question: Is the corrazina with it's bigger chest plates simply a contemporary variation of the brigandine or a later stage of it's evolution?
It would be horrendously anachronistic, but I'd be fascinated to see a hybrid of the two.
When you have a fancy dinner party at 7 but needed for a battle at 8
Actually the brigandine is back, today it’s called “flexible hard armor,” several companies make them, basically it’s just a brigandine with scales of modern ballistic steel or ceramic sewn to a ballistic nylon carrier.
one draw back on brigantine is that the fabric will soak sweat ,blood , water and mud making it very unclean after wearing for long period of time and may also result in the steel rusting , it much more easy to clean and maintain a segmentata
Could you talk about different kinds of full plate and witch you think are the best
The one you can afford, affects your mobility the least and covers you the most.
First, I know nothing about it, so I am just going by what I see on you. The Brigandine looks prettier. Though the Segmentata, I remember you wearing it for two weeks, and saying after a few days you did not notice you were wearing it anymore. And to my ignorant eye, it looks like you move a lot smoother and better in the Segmentata... It is like the Brigandine makes you go kind of stiff... maybe it is me. Also, you mention the way you closed the Segmentata, with the string. If one would cut that string in one place, the whole of the front would open up, so yea, I think it would be better to close them individually.. Must admit this is coming from somebody that has never held a sword or anything in my life... I am more interested in the history, than in going off to a battle field.. Much love to you, and thank you for another interesting video!!! Hugs 🤗
I like your choise of music
A few more things I'd like to ask:
1. How does the material and thickness compare? From what I understand, Roman steel would've been lower quality, but then again, most Brigandines (unless made for nobles) were made from "scrap" plates, often of variing quality and thickness. (Again, I might be wrong)
2. From what I can tell, the plates of Segmentata overlap such that you could theoretically thrust a sword from below into between the plates. The Brigandine on the other hand overlaps in the opposite direction (mostly?). Is this true, and how likely, in your opinion, would it be to get a blade in between plates?
3. Segmentata is very flat. In contrast, the Brigandine, besides the hourglass shape, looks to be more rounded at the front. Do you think that would help with glancing some blows? And would the cloth on top interfere with that in any way? (Like increased friction, or something?)
That is a nice shade of blue. A couple questions, one, I ran across a thread recently (ironically comparing segmentata and brigandine) where someone said that segmentata was a poor armor for heavy weapons, and that it was only good for use against arrows, I'm curious how accurate that is. Another question is assuming the segmentata was the same quality of steel as the brigandine, would it be as good, protection wise, as the brigandine?
The music in the intro makes me feel like it was meant for a different site.
What are the technological developments required to go from lorica segmentata to brigandine?
On a strictly technical level, the only requirements to move from lorica segmentata to brigandine are the time of production. Witch equals cost of armor. This would be a big concern for a roman army witch has to arm thousands of soldiers. But for a late medieval man at arms, he would by and thus upgrade his armor set during his career (new chestplate, new helmet e.tc). Meaning there is room for evolution in the types of armor available. Basicly there is a market for selling cheap to expensive armor to a man at arms wich give rise to new types of armor.
As for metal quality, of course you would like to have the best spring steel available, but it still works with iron, just not as good. The technical requirements to make a brigandine is riviting, platecutting and armor fitting. Not to mention you have to have the idea, time, some tools and materials. And a reason to do it.
@@AndreasSweden Rivetting was known in Roman times.
@@QuentinStephens Ah yes. That was my point. All you need to make a brigandine would have been available as you in the roman period as you pointed out. I'm not good at writing in english and often get things in the wrong order. Sorry. My point is that it is technically possible, but the reason for making it, might not have come up yet. There are finer design aspects that becomes relevant first in later periods as weapons and tactics change. As an example you can see that the shape of Raf's brigandine leaves some room between the plates and the chest witch is relevant when someone hits you in the chest with a pollaxe or some other nasty medieval weapon as it helps soften the blow. That design aspect is not needed (to the same extent) in a roman battlefield. It's tiny things like that that sort of defines late medieval armor. It's more tactics and culture than technology (in a broad general sense). Sorry for the long texts.
Hey Meta, what is the song played at 3:05