Imagine serving on the Roman Empire’s northern frontier and discovering your chainmail needs repair. Where do you turn? New research suggests Roman soldiers likely sought the expertise of local craftspeople. A study published in Antiquity examines a corroded pile of Roman chainmail found in Germany, proposing it was a stockpile for repairing other military garments. This discovery offers a glimpse into the Roman military’s resourcefulness and its reliance on local communities along the empire’s edge.
The Roman army faced logistical challenges as it expanded, especially in distant territories like the German frontier. Maintaining a constant supply of equipment from central production hubs proved difficult. The study highlights the growing need for self-sufficiency within the Roman military, particularly along this frontier, where units increasingly manufactured and repaired their own equipment. Recycling played a crucial role in this process.
The 2012 discovery of a 30.86-pound (14-kilogram) hoard of chainmail in a civilian settlement near a Roman legionary fortress in Bonn, Germany, provides crucial evidence of this practice. The hoard consists of two nearly complete chainmail garments and sections of two others, all fused together.
Chain Mail On Roman SoldiersExamples of Roman chainmail. Left: Detail from the Great Ludovisi Sarcophagus. Right: A digital model of a Danish mail coat.
Due to the intricate construction of chainmail, melting it down was impractical. Instead, damaged sections were repurposed for repairs, much like patching textiles. The researchers, including experts from the Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, the LVR-Amt für Bodendenkmalpflege im Rheinland, and the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn, used visual examination and high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans to analyze the Bonn hoard.
Their findings suggest the chainmail served as a raw material for repairing other garments. The unique design of the interconnected rings further supports the idea that this was a stockpile intended for local craftspeople working with the Roman military. Martijn A. Wijnhoven, a participant in the study, notes this is the “first clear evidence that mail armour was being repaired outside a Roman military installation.”
This discovery underscores the Roman military’s pragmatic approach to resource management and the significant interaction between soldiers and local populations along the frontier. The hoard provides valuable insights into the Roman military economy, emphasizing the importance of repair and recycling. It also illuminates the collaborative relationship between the Roman army and the communities it encountered.
The Bonn chainmail hoard paints a picture of a Roman army adapting to the challenges of frontier life. It demonstrates their resourcefulness in utilizing local expertise and their reliance on established civilian networks for essential services. This discovery provides a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics between the Roman military and the communities it interacted with on the fringes of the empire.
