Body armor of the principes (heavy infantry), hastati (front-line soldiers), and triarii (veterans) consisted of only a 20cm square breastplate, called a heart guard (pectorale), and one greave. The one greave was worn on the left leg, the leg that was exposed during battle.

How heavy was a Roman soldiers armor? The Loreca hamata (chain armour) weighs about 10 to 11 kilos. A Loreca segmentata (plate armour) is about 7 kilos. What was the Roman breastplate made of?

Vegetius in De Re Militari wrote that the ideal height for a Roman soldier was 5'11'' (In Roman feet). A roman foot was about 11 inches, so that gives us a height of about 5'4'' or 5'5''.

Before 107 BC a Roman legion consisted of Velites, Hastati, Principes, and Triarii. Each group formed one line of battle and was equipped with different weapons and armor. So let`s dive right in and look at the clothing, weapons, and armor that Roman soldiers used before and after the Marian reforms of 107 BC.

Roman military personal equipment was produced in large numbers to established patterns, and used in an established manner. These standard patterns and uses were called the res militaris or disciplina .