New research from the Roman frontier near Bonn, Germany, has revealed compelling evidence of civilian involvement in the repair of Roman mail armor during the 3rd century AD. Analysis of armor discovered during excavations at a settlement near the Bonn legionary fortress, marks the first clear evidence of mail repair occurring outside a Roman military installation.
With the new analysis published in Antiquity magazine, the armor, weighing 14 kg (30.8 pounds), was found in a corroded block during excavations in 2012. The deposit included two nearly complete mail garments and fragments of two others. Researchers believe this hoard was part of a stockpile used for armor repairs, demonstrating a practice akin to patchworking textiles. The findings underscore the reliance of Roman armies on local craftspeople to maintain their equipment.
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Examples of mail fragments from the Roman Principate. Top left: Loughor, United Kingdom, c. AD 260–310. Top right: Gnotzheim, Germany, second–third centuries AD. Bottom left: Newstead, United Kingdom, AD 140–180. Bottom right: Sisak, Croatia, broadly dated to the Roman Principate (photographs by M.A. Wijnhoven/Antiquity Publications Ltd).
A Unique Discovery
Mail armor, composed of interconnected rings, posed unique challenges for recycling and repair. Unlike most metal objects, which could be melted down and repurposed, mail was instead used to patch and restore damaged garments. This process required skilled labor and a sophisticated understanding of armor construction.
Using high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans, researchers were able to analyze the interior of the armor hoard without disturbing its structure. Quoted in the Antiquity press release, Holger Becker from the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn emphasized the importance of this technology:
“X-ray technology allows us to see what cannot be seen with the naked eye. To look inside the solid mass of Roman armor, only CT scans provided satisfactory results.”
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Examples of how the mail would have looked when in use. Left: detail of the Great Ludovisi Sarcophagus (Rome), mid-third century AD, depicting a standard-bearer in a short-sleeved mail coat (credit: M.A. Wijnhoven). Right: Digital reconstruction of a mail coat from Vimose (Denmark), second half of the second century to early third century AD (A. Moskvin & M.A. Wijnhoven/Antiquity Publications Ltd)
Civilian Contributions to Military Maintenance
The findings shed light on the interconnected relationship between Roman forts and the civilian settlements that surrounded them. While Roman soldiers on the frontiers were known to repair and recycle their own equipment, the Bonn discovery highlights the critical role of local craftspeople.
Dr. Martijn A. Wijnhoven from the Czech Academy of Sciences stated:
“This is the first clear evidence that mail armor was being repaired outside a Roman military installation.”
These insights reveal how the Roman army relied on local civilian expertise, particularly in regions far from central production hubs or supply networks. This cooperation not only maintained the army’s operational readiness but also fostered economic and social ties between military and civilian communities.
Implications for Understanding Roman Military Organization
The Bonn mail armor contributes to a growing body of evidence that illustrates the complexity of Roman military logistics. Claudia Koppmann from the LVR-Amt für Bodendenkmalpflege im Rheinland noted:
“The find adds to a growing corpus of mail armor from a variety of different contexts across the Roman world, and beyond the frontiers. It contributes to our understanding of the economic and military organization of ancient armies.”
As research continues, this discovery underscores the dynamic interplay between the Roman military and the civilian populations that supported it—offering new insights into the daily life and logistics of the Roman Empire.
Top image: The large block of mail from the Bonn hoard. Source: J. Vogel/Antiquity Publications Ltd
By Gary Manners
Source: www.ancient-origins.net