Augustus' Bullet-proof Vest

[frankq]

I read somewhere that Augustus Caesar wore a protective under garment, kind of like antiquity's version of a bullet-proof vest. Anyone come across this?

[Favonius Cornelius]

Heh, I remember in the recently made movie about Augustus (played by Peter O'Toole), he was wearing one.

[Tobias]

Hmm, sort of an undercoat of plate, scale or chain mail armour was it? That sounds interesting. If it is true, did he often wear this around? If so, i believe that would argue either a kind of "Semper Paratus" temperament for Augustus or a mite of insecurity

[hawk]

I read somewhere that Augustus Caesar wore a protective under garment, kind of like antiquity's version of a bullet-proof vest. Anyone come across this?

 

Never read about it earlier.

Augustus didn't like as hot as cold weather and wore many worm clothes in winter time. Maybe this fact gave rise to such hearsays?

[frankq]

I read it in a biography about Herod. And by an author who has a habit of throwing radical things like that out.

[Tobias]

Hmm, i suppose a bullet proof vest would be useful in ancient Rome if a gunfight broke out....

Maybe we could waive the "De ea re ita censuerant" temporarily and start up a thread entitled "Augustus vs the Time Travelling Mafia"

In all seriousness, I haven't come across a report on Augustus constantly wearing an undercoat of armour before, and would seriously doubt the accuracy of such a report. Although when one thinks about it, it might not be an impossibility, just unlikely, given the power that Augustus wielded.

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

I can only assume Augustus had the best body guards, but if someone tried to kill him with a dagger, he still would die with a coat of armor since it's so easy to cut peoples throat or stab them at the neck at point blank range. Its pretty useless I would have to say. Even a gladius would be able to penetrate it at point blank. Depends on what type of armor really, I doubt he was wearing while he was frail at the age of 70.

Edited December 14, 2005 by FLavius Valerius Constantinus

[Germanicus]

Perhaps he only wore it until his power was fully cemented. I'd never heard of it before, but it seems just the sort of trump card the wiley guy would have played for any would be assasin. I agree Flavius, not a completely surefire way to prevent a stabbing, but better than bare flesh I suppose.

[Guest Burncycle]

"Augustus vs the Time Travelling Mafia"

 

I come bearing stirrups and gunpowder!

[frankq]

I finally came across what this was. It was a thin coated armored breastplate. Augustus hated wearing it but he was convinced he had to.

 

A good thing because John Wilkes Booth got caught up in Dr. Moriarty's time machine (which he stole from H.G.), landed square in the Senate, quoted his Latin, was corrected by Augustus, then went bonkers and shot him.

[Primus Pilus]

I finally came across what this was. It was a thin coated armored breastplate. Augustus hated wearing it but he was convinced he had to.

 

Did you find more confirmation other than the biography of Herod you mentioned earlier? It really is a rather interesting little historical tidbit.

[Pantagathus]

The precident was indeed there for powerful men of the age to do it.

 

Viriathus apparently wore protective garments/armor even in bed and was only murdered when one of the people who had access to his tent stabbed him in the throat.

[frankq]

I finally came across what this was. It was a thin coated armored breastplate. Augustus hated wearing it but he was convinced he had to.

 

Did you find more confirmation other than the biography of Herod you mentioned earlier? It really is a rather interesting little historical tidbit.

 

It was in either Barret or Balsdon. I'm cross-refering them and getting dizzy.

[P.Clodius]

Both Cicero (Catiline) and M. Anthony (first address to the senate after the ides) wore them. I wouldn't consider it strange for Augustus to do so.

[phil25]

I assume that it was either an ordinary cuirass (leather probably) or a Gallic mail-shirt akin to the sort Caesar's legionaries wore, but disguised under a tunic.

 

It would have been disguised/hidden:

 

a) because Augustus would not have wished to appear afraid, or even suspicious of treachery;

 

because armour was not allowed within the pomerium.

 

I too seem to recall a mention of this at a time when Augustus had to go to the Senate and was fearful that an attempt would be made on his life. He had the Dictator's assassination to bear in mind! I'll see if i can find time to check my shelves.

 

Phil