Chain Mail Armor

Timeline

1. 300–800Territory of the Roman Empire · ItalyRoman legions issued a combination of scale armor and mail armor, which spread across Eurasia via the Byzantine Empire, the Islamic world, and steppe peoples, forming various weaving traditions.
2. 1325–1400Western Europe · Western EuropeIn the 14th century, Western European knights and elite infantry were commonly equipped with chain mail, often worn layered with surcoats and plate pieces, and tested in combat in conflicts such as the Hundred Years' War.
3. 1400–1500Europe · EuropePlate armor retained chain mail at the joints, forming plate-and-mail hybrid armor; pure chain mail gradually became a secondary protective layer and largely left frontline service after the 16th century.