Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Lorica

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

LORI'CA (θώραξ). The term used generally to designate a piece of defensive armour, which covered the breast, back, belly, and sides as far as the waist; including the cuirass or corselet of leather or metal, plain, scaled, laminated, ringed, and quilted; the coat of mail; and the loose doublet, or flexible linen shirt; all of which are separately described in the following paragraphs: —

1. (γυαλοθώραξ). The Greek cuirass of the most ancient period, made out of two separate and distinct pieces of metal, modelled to the form of the owner; one of which fitted the breast and upper region of the belly, the other the back and loins; the two being fastened upon the person by a number of clasps or buckles (fibulae, περόναι) down the sides, and with a shoulder strap or epaulette across the top of each shoulder. Each of these plates were termed a γύαλον. The annexed woodcut (Lorica/1.1) represents a pair of bronze originals discovered in a tomb at Paestum; but it would appear that Pausanias had never seen a cuirass of this kind, excepting in pictures (Paus. x. 26. 2.); a remarkable proof of the value and antiquity of the specimen here copied.

2. (θώραξ στάδιος or στατός). The cuirass usually worn by generals and superior officers, both Greeks and Romans, subsequently to the Homeric period; so termed because it would stand by itself when taken off and placed upon the ground. Like the last mentioned, it was in reality formed of two pieces, but on an improved principle, being joined together by the armourer on the right side with hinges (γίγγλυμοι), made by inserting a pin through a series of sockets, so that they would open and shut for putting off or on with convenience and expedition. The joinings are clearly shown by the annexed engraving (Lorica/2.1), from an equestrian statue of N. Balbus found at Herculaneum; and upon a statue of the Pio-Clementine Museum (iii. 11.), similarly accoutred, they are represented with equal distinctness and precision. The cuirass, as here exhibited, which was made of very thick leather, bronze, or other metals, constitutes the lorica itself; but the abdomen, the thighs, the deltoid muscle, and the arm-pits, which would be completely exposed when the arm was raised above the level of the breast, were protected by a series of leather straps (πτέρυγες), usually appended to it round the arm-holes and lower rim of its two plates, which fell over the upper part of the arm, like a sleeve, and over the things, like a kilt, as exhibited in the illustration s. LEGATUS.

3. (θώραξ λεπιδωτός). A corselet of scale armour in which the scales (squamae, Virg. Aen. ix. 707. xi. 487. Sil. Ital. i. 527.), composed of horn or metal, and sewed on to a basis of leather or quilted linen, were formed to imitate the scales of a fish (λεπίς), which are mostly circular at their bottom edges, and overlap one another in regular succession, as in the annexed example (Lorica/3.1), from one of the trophies on Trajan's Column.

4. (θώραξ φολιδωτός). A corselet of scale armour, made of the same materials as the last, similarly attached, but having its scales formed to imitate those of a serpent (φολίς. Compare Ov. Met. iii. 63. Prudent. Hamart. 423. squamosam thoraca de pelle colubrae), which are mostly angular at their extremities, and overlap in a lozenge shape, so that one of the angles points downwards in the manner exhibited by the annexed example (Lorica/4.1), from the Column of Antoninus, which resembles exactly the scales of the rattle snake, the common viper, and many other reptiles.

5. Lorica plumata. (Justin. xli. 2.) A corselet of similar character to the two preceding, but having the plates of metal which cover it formed to imitate the feathers of a bird (plumae. Virg. Aen. xi. 770. Sallust. Fragm. ap. Serv. ad l.), instead of scales, as exhibited by the annexed example (Lorica/5.1), from the Arch of Trajan, now inserted on the Arch of Constantine; in which it will be observed that the plates are not so angular at their extremities as the last example, nor so regularly disposed as the one which precedes it.

6. Lorica serta or hamis conserta. (Nepos. xi. 1. Virg. Aen. iii. 467. v. 259. Sil. Ital. v. 140.) A corselet also of scale armour, but in which the plates of bone or metal, instead of being sewn on to a leather or quilted jerkin, were fastened to one another by means of wire rings or hooks (hamae); of which the annexed engraving (Lorica/6.1) affords a specimen, from an original fragment found at Pompeii. The plates are of bone; and each has two holes near the upper edges, through which the connecting wire link is passed, as shown on a large scale by the right-hand part of the engraving; but when the parts are put together, these are covered and protected by the circular end of another plate which laps over them, as shown by the smaller pattern on the left hand.

7. A cuirass, formed by two broad plates of metal across the chest, and long flexible bands (laminae) of steel over the shoulders, and round the waist; so arranged, that while they fitted closely to the shape of the wearer, they would adapt themselves to all his motions, by slipping under and over one another, as the arms were raised, or the body bent, as shown by the annexed example (Lorica/7.1), from the Column of Trajan. The characteristic name by which cuirasses of this kind were distinguished has not survived; but the object itself is of very common occurrence on the triumphal arches and columns. It appears to have constituted the ordinary armour of the common legionary soldier under the empire; for it is never worn by the superior officers, but always by the gregarians, whose rank is understood from the duties they perform when not engaged with the enemy; such as felling timber for stockades, building forts, transporting provisions, &c. Some writers have recognised this as the cuirass of serpents' scales (φολιδωτός. No. 4.), to which it does not possess sufficient resemblance.

8. (θώραξ ἁλυσιδωτός). A shirt of chain mail, formed by a regular series of links, connected together into a continuous chain (ἅλυσις; molli lorica catena, Val. Flacc. vi. 233.). It was worn by the hastati under the republic (Polyb. vi. 23.); and is represented on some of the cavalry soldiers in the slabs which were removed from the Arch of Trajan to decorate the one built by Constantine near the Coliseum, as well as on the annexed figure (Lorica/8.1), from the column of Antoninus; in which the minuteness of the touches, as well as the close and elastic fit of the shirt, are evidently intended to characterize a coat of chain mail.

9. Lorica lintea (θώραξ λίνεος). A loose jacket of linen, several folds thick, steeped in vinegar and salt (Nicet. Choniat. Script. Byzant. p. 247. Paris. 1647.); more especially worn by the Oriental nations, but also adopted by the Greeks and Romans (Nepos, Iphicr. 1. Suet. Galb. 19. Liv. iv. 20. Arrian. Tact. p. 14.). It is frequently represented on the columns of Trajan and Antonine, similar to the annexed example (Lorica/9.1), as a long doublet, reaching below the hips, easily yielding as the body bends, and fitting rather loosely on the figure.

10. In a general sense, the word is also applied to any thing which serves as a covering, protection, or defence for what is behind or under it; such as the coating of cement upon a wall (Vitruv. ii. 8. 18. vii. 1. 4.), and a breastwork which serves as a screen or fortification (Tac. Ann. iv. 49. Compare Veg. Mil. iv. 28.); &c.

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  Lorica/1.1
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  Lorica/2.1
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  Lorica/3.1
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  Lorica/4.1
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  Lorica/5.1
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  Lorica/6.1
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  Lorica/7.1
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  Lorica/8.1
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  Lorica/9.1