Top 10 Most Effective Armours in History (Pre-Modern)

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An armour (spelled armor in the US) is a protective covering that is used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object, individual, or vehicle by weapons or projectiles, usually during combat, or from damage caused by a potentially dangerous environment or action.
The word "armour" began to appear in the Middle Ages as a derivative of Old French. It is dated from 1297 as a "mail, defensive covering worn in combat". The word originates from the Old French armure, itself derived from the Latin armatura meaning "arms and/or equipment", with the root armare meaning "arms or gear".
Armour has been used throughout recorded history. It has been made from a variety of materials, beginning with rudimentary leather protection and evolving through mail and metal plate into today's modern composites.
Significant factors in the development of armour include the economic and technological necessities of its production. For instance, plate armour first appeared in Medieval Europe when water-powered trip hammers made the formation of plates faster and cheaper.
Well-known armour types in European history include the lorica hamata, lorica squamata, and the lorica segmentata of the Roman legions, the mail hauberk of the early medieval age, and the full steel plate harness worn by later medieval and renaissance knights, and breast and back plates worn by heavy cavalry in several European countries until the first year of World War I (1914–15). The samurai warriors of feudal Japan utilised many types of armour for hundreds of years up to the 19th century.

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[nickyliu]

I can't believe 16th century is considered ancient...

I'm getting old.

[GuitarsRockForever]

Good, but my favorite armor - plot armor is not on the list.

[granddukethedan]

Really like that you covered an armour of a warrior who is rarely talked about (No. 10).

[NUSensei]

Great video. One of the most fair, balanced and well-considered comparisons I've seen.

[xanderhebert]

I finally understand “studded leather” armor, thanks brigandine!

[LowenKM]

Excellent overview, thx! Was also surprised to learn that a typical medieval knight's metal armor actually weighed _less_ than the aprox. 60 lbs of gear a modern infantryman often carries now.

[kaichi]

This is actually a very useful video got GM/DMs to show their players when teaching them the basics of what is meant by different types of armour.

[havannah]

metatron went from jesus to caesar in one year.

[dfhlzxl]

I'm stull not used to seeing that Metatron actually has ears.

[captainonomatopoeia]

Knights were pretty much the special forces of the Medieval times. It boggles my mind why general public think that knights clunky soldiers who are ungraceful as an elephant and only wielding a sword.

Knights at a young age were trained. Time and resources were poured in to make them elites of the battlefield. Expert masters teaching knights to be versatile with their weaponry.

But sure. Lets just assume they’re just foot soldiers with higher level armour that has +10 defence.

[daffydlandegge]

🤣😂

I cannot help but think of the Dendra soldiers squatting down, tucking their knees and shrugging their shoulders to turtle their legs and head inside the armor. (Like a turtle)

[ziggytheassassin]

Imagine being an aztek guy with a obsidian sword and going up against a full plate european swordman. You wouldnt stand a chance.

[lavarwilliams]

I stumbled into your channel 3 days ago and I’ve been fascinated by the historical facts and the knowledge that you possess, Great channel 👍🏿

[patrickmccurry]

Whenever I'm reminded of asymmetric armor, I wonder how many, if any, suits made for left handed combatants have been found.

[MrAkira-swhi]

it is quite interesting to realize that samurai appear in almost all types of armor, metatron you could make a video about the variations of armor used in ancient japan 😉

[romanace]

If European plate armor wasn’t number 1 this list would be invalid.

[HughMungus]

Could you make a video about the armour the non-knightly classes used

[Autechltd]

One interesting an beautiful variation of scale armor was the Chinese 'mountain' scale armor that is a lot like a cross between the brigand armor and chainmail in the way it interlocks with one another.

[Yora]

I was in Greece last year and did an unplanned quick visit in a small local museum before moving on to Athens and was completely surprised to see the Dendra armor on display there. I really had assumed that they would keep such an important find in the national museum. Keeping it close to where it was found is actually pretty cool.

[ShagadelicBY]

Now we wait for TopTenz to debunk this video with alt. facts as retaliation.