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Chris Dobson

Master Armourer

A Samnite pamoply of circa 321BC (1988).

The Romans did not originally inhabit all of Italy, which was occupied by various tribes and peoples, including the Etruscans, Celts and Samnites. As Rome expanded, her Latin League came into direct conflict with the Samnites, who inhabited an area of central highlands southeast of Latium. A long war began in 343BC, and in 321BC, the Samnites inflicted a humiliating defeat on the Romans at the Caudine Forks, where all their defeated troops were forced to pass 'under the yoke'. Our Samnite warrior to the right looks as though he might be enjoying that very spectacle. But by 273BC the Romans had triumphed in their relentless expansion, eventually conquering all of the Italian peninsular.

Early Greek settlers brought their own armour styles with them to Italy, but amongst the Latin peoples, these styles took on some particularly local features: helmets had movable cheek pieces, and some striking transverse crests and wings, and amongst the Samnites the breastplate shrank into two destinct styles: this rectangular version of the muscled cuirasse, and a triangular form with triple embossed discs. Both of these styles were worn with a broad bronze belt, the symbol of Samnite manhood. The plates are lined with leather, stitched down over the edges of the plates.

Some beautiful examples of these panoplies have come from Samnite tombs, and with his interest in Classical Greece and Italy, at this early stage in his career, Chris decided to make this panoply for his own pleasure. It was later purchased by a living history group. Such armour is often described as bronze, but scientific examination of this military equipment shows brass was frequently used as well. Therefore this reconstruction is made of brass.

Click on the thumbnails below to see full-size photos.