It is without question that the ancient Romans made great leaps and bounds in producing armor. Their inventive ingenuity and sophistication led to dramatic improvements in protective wear. Early efforts in Roman armor led to the items pictured above. The round shield was typical and primarily used for close quarter fighting. The tunic was usually worn over a thin mesh of metal plates that were riveted together. Or, metal plates were actually sewn between the linings of the tunic itself. The bracers on the legs are forms of splintmail and such items were also worn on the wrists and upper arms.