Roman army
The soldiers of the Roman army wore helmets and body protection. In the early to mid-Republican era, legionaries usually bought their own equipment. Hastati, the first line of soldiers, usually had breastplates, called a cuirass, and some wore lorica hamata, or chainmail. The richer principes, the second line of soldiers, could afford lorica hamata but they were sometimes seen wearing the cheaper cuirasses. Both hastati and principes were each armed with a gladius – a short, 60 centimeter (two foot) sword, and each had two pila – short spears.