Donning the Newstead cuirass

Legio VI Victrix is the first (and so far, only) reenactment group in the world to recreate and use the second-century Newstead model of lorica segmentata using the plans of Roman armor specialist M.C. Bishop, who based his reconstruction on the latest archaeological finds. The Newstead is much more robust than the earlier Corbridge model cuirasses, and has a more complicated closure system than previously envisioned. Putting it on usually requires the help of an arming buddy, as demonstrated here by Dio Draconius Syracusius (Arik Greenberg) and Gaius Darius Valerianus (Gil Whitley). And article by T. Flavius Crispus (Dave Michaels) explaining another method of putting on the Newstead can be found HERE.

The chest-shoulder and girth sections having been pre-assembled into right and left halves, Darius helps Dio on with his cuirass, one half at a time.

Dio and Darius pull the halves together.

Darius begins fastening up the back of Dio’s Newstead.

The toughest part is getting the left and right sections to overlap properly.

The most difficult overlap-underlap section comes where the back plates and girth hoops join.

Once the back is fastened, Dio can do the rest himself. Here he pulls the plates together and gets ready to overlap them properly.

The turnkey on the breastplate and girth hoop loops are fiited through their corresponding slots.

Split pins are pushed through the girth loops to hold them in place.

Dio installs brass belt hoops on lower girth hoops. On the Stillfried cuirass, the hooks are permanently attached.

Dio dons his balteus and sword baldric. Add a helmet, and he’s ready for action!