Samnite armour at the University of Canterbury - shared by John Edmundson, 31 December 2021

If you're visiting Christchurch there's a suit of 4th century BC Samnite armour in the Teece Museum (the UC Classics collection in the Arts Centre). I've seen it before but just came upon this interesting wee clip about it.

Link to University of Canterbury Facebook https://fb.watch/aeelXTlPJ_/

Link to DBMM New Zealand Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/824840264342234/posts/1970759959750253/

University of Canterbury 

Novte1amm7lb4eu90frn2 s1o9,5e 20d01t8  · 

UC’s Teece Museum of Classical Antiquities recently hosted a team of researchers from The University of Auckland. Supported by the Royal Society Te Apārangi Marsden Fund, Dr Jeremy Armstrong and his team tested a set of ancient Samnite Armour (dated to the 4th Century BCE) using very modern techniques like X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and 3D laser scanning.

Visit our Teece Museum of Classical Antiquities: https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/.../teece-museum-of.../

Learn more about Dr Armstrong’s research: https://royalsociety.org.nz/.../game-of-thrones-in.../

University of Canterbury Classics Department UCArts

• 
  Vincent Cholewa

  Admin

  Group expert

  How cool is that  I had no idea that there was Samnite armour in New Zealand. Thank you for sharing 

  

  1

  • Like
  •  · 
    Reply
  •  · 
    Share
  •  · 2d
  • John Edmundson

    Author

    Vincent Cholewa Yes. I was quite blown away to see it there - quite timely as (spoiler alert) a first installment of Samnite progress is due very soon . . . :^)

    I was intrigued by how small the wearer would have to have been. I suspect he was still in his early to mid teens.

    

    1

    • Like
    •  · 
      Reply
    •  · 
      Share
    •  · 2d
  • Active

    Vincent Cholewa

    Admin

    Different part of Italy at a different time - like Romeo and Juliet!

    • Like
    •  · 
      Reply
    •  · 1m

  Active

  
  

  Write a public reply…
• Tilman Dang

  People where quite a bit smaller than on average. Different food, no growth hormone bombardement with stupid diary products (less cancer... Go figure).

  Funny armor,... Greaves... Brestplate..closed Helmet Looks more like Hoplites armor to me,... LMI? (well, "loose order" is a wrg 70ths fantasy to make legionaries more effective than auxilia with rules that calculated combat effect per figure... We should get rid of that, auxilia and the like certainly did not form up with deliberate gaps in their formation to get slaugthered by close order opponents...) .

  • Like
  •  · 
    Reply
  •  · 
    Share
  •  · 2d
  •  · 
    Edited
  • John Edmundson

    Author

    Tilman Dang I had some photos but seem to have lost them. Yes, greaves, which are typical for Samnites I think. The breastplate is more Itslic than Greek I think. While it is a squarish shape it has the three disk pattern common for the Samnites. The helmet has an open face but quite big hinged ear covers.

    I'll call in and try to get some new photos.

    Yes. People were smaller then but I'm only about 165cm and I look like a giant beside it. I think the wearer was possibly about 155cm. But they probably did start young. No mollycoddled teenagers in them thar days! :^)

    • Like
    •  · 
      Reply
    •  · 
      Share
    •  · 2d

Active

Write a public comment…