[Maurizio D'Angelo]

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.

[R Lister]

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

[Matthew Amt]

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