Old armor vs. New

[Tetsubo]

Common Era stuff?

Glad I live in Europe.

Back to topic:
Ancient armors: Most soldiers in ancient empires didn't wear armor, it was too expensive.

Most would have a helmet and a shield. Veterans might add on greaves and arm guards, possibly an armoured skirt. The officer core would likely have some sort of body armour though...

 

[Phlebas]

Most would have a helmet and a shield. Veterans might add on greaves and arm guards, possibly an armoured skirt. The officer core would likely have some sort of body armour though...

Hoplites were the exception - they wore effective bronze armour. still true that 'most' soldiers got a shield and pointy stick at best though

 

[phindar]

I remember reading once that the cost of fielding single hoplite was the equivalent in the present day to buying a luxury sedan. I'm assuming that means equpping and training. (IIRC, the cost of getting a Marine recruit through Parris Island MCRD is around $100,000, meaning the cost of a trained infantryman hasn't changed much in the past 3000 years.)

 

[Phlebas]

Hoplites were the middle / upper class of the city - you had to buy / maintain the armour as part of your civic duties - you had a similar situation with the equites of Republican Rome. Since social equality was not a big concern in the ancient world you would expect the upper reaches of society to have 10, 100x the income of the average pleb and remember that arms & armour can be inherited rather than have to be replaced ever year or so.

Sparta took this to extremes where every Spartan was trained as an elite, and the rest of the peloppenese peninsula was effectively enslaved to provide for them

its only when you get to imperial rome that you started having armoured infantry as common place, and even that depended on whether you were in a full blown legion or just an auxillary

fast forward to medieval times and you had the elite knights, the peasant militias, and the yeoman / mercenary professional soldier who'd buy the best he could afford (studded leather hauberks from memory and my last trip to the royal armouries)

 

[wingsandsword]

I'd also like to note that writing "A.D." on a paper (even my modern history papers!) will cost you marks, since it is no longer "right".

Depends entirely on your instructor, possibly on the policy of the institution you are studying at as well. I received my B.A. in History two years ago and "A.D." was widely accepted by professors with no ill marks.

 

[Darklone]

Depends entirely on your instructor, possibly on the policy of the institution you are studying at as well. I received my B.A. in History two years ago and "A.D." was widely accepted by professors with no ill marks.

Thanks, comments like these restore my faith in humanity.