Young B Song has sent me an email with a photo of his newest release.

Roman Centurian, 180AD
1/9th scale resin, etched brass parts, nameplate
Sculpted and painted by Young B Song

Young Miniatures web site - click here

A beautiful piece of work, but... another Roman?

Back in early July, Young sent me some photos of his new project and asked me to keep it secret, in which I did, but here are the photos he sent me in early July.

I love this piece, even better then his other Roman bust. It's on the list....

A couple of items from Mike Thomas to be aware of. No evidence at all of Centurians wearing a skin this way, or any skins as I understood the post. Also, the breastplate should be in bronze. Apparently, the Romans were unable to work a piece of iron this large.

Gary

Not an expert and not sure of historical exactness of such drawings, but there are more than one reference about the lupa's skin. In fact, the bust seems a mix between what you can see here.

About iron (which of course was not the same type currently used) the Romans was able to do much more than a such armour. Most of his knowledge and technology about it was taken directly from the Etruschi. Populonia (an Etruscan town) was the most famous town for metalworking (a lot of furnaces have been discovered). The dross analysis and dating allows to say that in Populonia the Etruschi was working the iron since the IV a.c.
Always in Etruria, Perugia was famous for the bronze working and wrought iron, while Vulci and Arezzo for the manufacture of arms and armours.

Tarquinio Prisco, the fifthy Re di Roma was Etruscan...

The armour weared by the bust is known as 'Corazza Muscolare' (Thorax Statios, or muscular armour), manufactured in iron or bronze. Such armour was worn by the Romans since the IV-V a.c., and by the Etruschi from the III-V a.c. A reference can be found here.

Luca

Alyhough this is technicaly a fantastic sculpted bust (congratulations Mr. Young B Song), IMHO the historical correctness is debatable. Apart from the skin already mentioned by Gary, I don't believe that centurio's wore a sash around their armour. This sash being reserved for the high ranking officers of the legion. And if I'm informed well, I believe that there is neither evidence of the combination of the muscular armour with this kind of shoulder plates (or any other as a matter of fact).

Johan

If we are talking of the same thing, the "Pteruges" (shoulder plates) was used with the "Thorax Statios" (muscular armour) as shoulder protecion, ornament and connection between the front and rear.
Aside the references to the Bassorilievo Pretoriano and the Colonna di Antonino Pio, there is a lot of examples, like the following.

Hi Luca,

Your right indeed. I was informed by the great specialist on this matter (Dr Mike from MedRom) that muscle cuirasses were used in combination with shoulder plates, and that some centurios wore a sash around their armour. It seems I made a few mistakes here and humbly offer my apologies.
Sorry Mr Young B. Song !
The good thing is that I learned from my faulty thoughts.
Thanks

Johan

I recieved Young's bust in the mail today and have taken photos for a kit review and posted in the review section.

Roman Centurion Kit Review - click here



A real beautiful bust!! Step-by-step - click here