hi all,
someone knows that the Romans made use of these wires intertwined. Were of bronze.
One hypothesis: the ligatures were used to get stronger. Also to keep hanging oil lamps.
Does anyone know if used in weapons?
I-IV century.

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There are examples in the British museum in jewelry from the 2-5th centurys from roman /romano british finds. There are also jewelry finds from the 6th century in the crondell horde in hampshire, that can be seen in the ashmolean museum in oxford.

The replicas I have made, from bronze or sliver, I do not think would be suitable for scabbard furniture. However I've just found a thick bronze one that may be strong enaugh. But not nessessaryly felxable enough.

However I might make a very long chain from thick bronze wire to see if it works. It takes bloody ages to make though!


Is this any help?



Rich

Ave!

Those were just used for jewelry as far as I know, possibly for other domestic decorative purposes. I've never seen any suggestion of such a thing being used for military equipment at all. Even regular metal chain is very rare for that purpose. There just weren't any Roman *weapons* that used chains, that I can think of.

I hope that helps!

Matthew