Apocryphal accoutrements

[Imperial Dave]

Doing research...as you do...for a project, I do get side tracked to a degree when I ponder some things that strike me with regards to such things as wargaming figures and how they are depicted. For instance, having done and still doing LOADS of Dark Age projects in various scales, I am struck by how many figures are depicted with things like cloaks. Ok, so whats wrong with cloaks I hear you ask? For me, its the fact that when fighting, the very last thing you will want to have is a full length cloak flapping around your arms, body and legs. Having done reenactment, I can attest to the 'drop everything' and fight philosophy. I just wonder why figure manufacturers persist in decking out a high proportion of figures with such clothing items as cloaks for their 'battle poses'

anyhoo, rabbit hole averted for now. I will use what figures I have with or without cloaks but more interested to see what the inspiration for these things are when it comes to sculpting figures etc

[Duncan Head]

Polybios on Telamon:

The Insubres and Boii wore their trousers and light cloaks, but the Gaesatae had discarded these garments ... But when the javelineers advanced, as is their usage, from the ranks of the Roman legions and began to hurl their javelins in well-aimed volleys, the Celts in the rear ranks indeed were well protected by their trousers and cloaks ...

[Erpingham]

An interesting question. Warriors with cloaks certainly appear in early medieval art.  Whether that means that men fought in cloaks is a more complicated question.  Not based on any deep statistical analysis - more impressions gained - taking Frankish and AS art, I'd say

• most cloaked figures are not fighting, they are standing around or travelling
• Cavalry are more likely to be cloaked
• Cloaked figures may be picked out so as to show the hero of the tale e.g. in a bible.

This art is heavily influenced by late antique conventions and, therefore, how true it is to contemporary practice must be considered with caution. However, being strictly accurate, I suspect it means my Early Medieval armies have too many cloaked infantry 

[Jon Freitag]

Perhaps a cloak is a sculptor's expedient for covering a lot of details that would otherwise be visible on an uncloaked figure?

[Imperial Dave]

Polybios on Telamon:

The Insubres and Boii wore their trousers and light cloaks, but the Gaesatae had discarded these garments ... But when the javelineers advanced, as is their usage, from the ranks of the Roman legions and began to hurl their javelins in well-aimed volleys, the Celts in the rear ranks indeed were well protected by their trousers and cloaks ...

As ever, a fount of knowledge Duncan

[Jon Freitag]

Polybios on Telamon:

The Insubres and Boii wore their trousers and light cloaks, but the Gaesatae had discarded these garments ... But when the javelineers advanced, as is their usage, from the ranks of the Roman legions and began to hurl their javelins in well-aimed volleys, the Celts in the rear ranks indeed were well protected by their trousers and cloaks ...

As ever, a fount of knowledge Duncan

He is!  I, however, come up with a sculptor's excuse...

[Imperial Dave]

the other thing I considered is that it looks a bit more dynamic and 'flouncy' . I mean who wants to paint 200+ just-tunics

[Cantabrigian]

I mean who wants to paint 200+ just-tunics

Surely one of those gallic armies where everyone allegedly fought naked would be even worse?

[Duncan Head]

Should be quicker, though.

[Keraunos]

Should be quicker, though.

Yup, they paint up in a flash!

[Imperial Dave]

I am genuinely interested in stuff like this even if its a rabbit hole of ginormous proportions

[Ian61]

Perhaps a cloak is a sculptor's expedient for covering a lot of details that would otherwise be visible on an uncloaked figure?

I think you have something there.

[Imperial Dave]

Plus they sell more figures 

[Erpingham]

I am genuinely interested in stuff like this even if its a rabbit hole of ginormous proportions

My own thought would be that images often owe as much to previous reconstructions as to sources. Ian Heath's WRG book on the Dark Ages, for example, continues to influence manufacturers, as do Ospreys.  The evolution of depictions of ancient warriors is an interesting subject in itself.

[Imperial Dave]

Yes, print it enough times and it becomes fact....