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Quote from: Duncan Head on May 09, 2024, 10:25:38 AMPolybios on Telamon:

QuoteThe 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

Not replying....no....not a word....

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

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 

Polybios on Telamon:

QuoteThe 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 ...

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

Fnarr fnarr

"It is speculated that Alexander, along with his childhood companion Hephaestion, frequented this space, engaging in rituals common among young men of their time."

A great euphemism if ever I saw one...

https://www-express-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.express.co.uk/news/world/1894892/rome-16m-archeology-pathway/amp?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17152308416656&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.express.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F1894892%2Frome-16m-archeology-pathway

Interesting project....

https://greekcitytimes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/greekcitytimes.com/2024/05/08/bathroom-of-alexander-the-great-unearthed-in-greece-after-2300-years/amp/?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17152306381252&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fgreekcitytimes.com%2F2024%2F05%2F08%2Fbathroom-of-alexander-the-great-unearthed-in-greece-after-2300-years%2F

Interesting little side snippet....