archaicwonder:Greek Bronze Muscle Cuirass, c. 4th century BCThe muscle cuirass or heroic cuirass was
archaicwonder:Greek Bronze Muscle Cuirass, c. 4th century BCThe muscle cuirass or heroic cuirass was cast to fit the wearer’s torso and styled to mimic an ideal male physique. These first appear in late Archaic Greece and became widespread throughout the 5th and 4th centuries BC.This particular cuirass’ girth increases in the lower torso to make it possible for the man who wore this to ride a horse comfortably while still wearing his armor. Although the heavy muscle cuirass would have afforded sturdy protection, in practical terms it might have been too cumbersome, not to mention cost prohibitive, for regular use by an infantryman. The main purpose of the highly figured cuirass was to impress, and it was most likely reserved for military reviews and parades.The cuirasses were cast in two pieces, the front and the back, then hammered. They were a development from the early Archaic bell-shaped cuirass, weighing about 25 pounds. Examples from the 5th century BC have been found in the tombs of Thracians, whose cavalrymen wore them. The earliest surviving depiction in Greek sculpture seems to be an example on a sculptural warrior’s torso found on the acropolis of Athens and dating around 470 – 460 BC. The muscle cuirass is also depicted on Attic red-figure pottery, which dates from around 530 BC and into the late 3rd century BC. -- source link