Armor: The History of Conflict

It's no secret that humankind in general is a very uneasy and warlike race. Throughout the ages people have fought over land, religion, pride, honor, food, you name it people have fought over it. As people created weapons to fight each other better with there was a need to create armor to protect themselves with. When weapons were primitive; rocks picked off the ground, sticks made into makeshift clubs, or fists, armor could afford to be primitive also.

Early armor consisted of animal furs, hides, a piece of bark used as a shield, basically anything that could be used without much refining. As people started to invent more dangerous weapons by sharpening rocks or sticks, armor also made similar advancements by weaving bones or rocks into clothing or creating shields that covered more of the body. This continued through time as a weapon was eventually met up with an equal armor. Metal weapons led to metal armors. Guns and ordinance led to armors that could stop bullets and explosive fragments. As it stands today armor seems to have been outpaced by weapons. How many materials that you know could withstand the blast from a nuclear bomb? But you never know, maybe armors that could counter these weapons are just around the corner.

The Advent of Armor

Illustrated by Cyrus "killacaravagio" Hunter

Ancient Armor
Armor has been around for a long time. Interested in learning about armor crafted by our ancestors? Here is a good place to start.

Armor Types
Looking to read about a particular type of armor? Leather, scale, and plate armor, all of them are here.

Roman Armor
We owe so much to the Romans. One of the greatest early civilizations, it's culture still affects us today. Interested in what helped them become such a force? Check it out here.

Eastern Armor
Interested in samurai, ninja or paper armor? Eastern armor is a brief look at armor of Asia and some of the outlying islands.

Armor In Medieval Times
Knights in shining armor have enthralled many people. When civilization seemed to be at a cultural low point, knights showed up on the scene and seemed to be a bastion of justice and hope. Read about them here.