The Roman and Greek suits were, with slight difference, similarly laced together on the left, or shield side ; and on the shoulders were bands and clasps, comparatively narrow in those of the Ro mans, which covered the joinings of the breast and back pieces on the shoulders, came from behind, and were fastened to a button on each breast. At the throat the suit of armour had always a double edging, often a band of brass or silver ; in the Roman, and often in the Greek, adorned with a lion's or a Gorgon's head. It was here that, in the time of Augustus, and probably much earlier, the warriors distinguished for particular acts of valour wore insignia ; a practice only revived by the moderns under the names of crosses and decora tions. The Romans, it appears, had phiahe and phalera of honour, terms which have been sup posed to signify bracelets and medals ; but all opinion on the subject was only conjectural pre viously to the discovery, on the borders of the Rhine, of a monumental bas-relief, raised by the freedman of Marcus Culius Lembo, tribune of the (xiix) ath legion, who fell in the disastrous throw of Varus. The effigy is of three-quarter length, in a full suit of armour, with a laurel crown on the head, a Gallic twisted torque round the neck ; and from the lion-head shoulder-clasps of the cuirass hang two embossed bracelets, having beneath them a label with three points, from which are suspended five medals of honour ; one large, on the pit of the stomach, representing a face of Medusa ; and two on each side, one beneath the other ; and all as far as can be seen charged with lions' faces and lions' heads in profile. The monu
ment is now in the museum of the university at Bonn.
The girdle, or more properly the baldric or belt (ringzila or balleits), was used by the Hebrews under the name of 111N azar: it was of leather, studded with metal plates or bullet; when the armour was slight, broad, and capable of being girt upon the hips ; otherwise it supported the sword scarf-wise from the shoulder.
Greaves were likewise known, even so early as the time of David, for Goliath wore them. They consisted of a pair of shin-covers of brass or strong leather, bound by thongs round the calves and above the ankles. They reached only to the knees, excepting among the Greeks, whose greaves, elastic behind, caught nearly the whole leg, and were raised in front above the knees. The Hebrew word ;NC seen, in Is. ix. 5, is supposed to mean a half-greave, though the passage is altogether ob scure. Perhaps the war-boot may be explained by the war-shoe of Egypt with a metal point ; and then the words might be rendered, For every greave of the armed foot is with confused noise and garments rolled in blood,' etc., instead of Every battle of the warrior,' etc. But, after all, this is not quite satisfactory.—C. H. S.