Administrative and legal characteristics of the establishment and development of the organizational and legal principles of the use of individual armor protection: the New Kingdom Period and the Middle Ages

Abstract

In the article, the author carried out a thorough administrative and legal characterization of the formation and development of the organizational and legal foundations of the use of individual armor protection in such periods as the period of the New Kingdom and the Middle Ages. For the first time, the author conducted a study of the formation and development of the organizational and legal foundations of the use of individual armor protection of various periods dating back to ancient times. With the development of a wide range of armor, weapons also underwent evolution, which made the means of personal protection less effective. That is why they were forced to change their qualities in the process of the evolution of weapons production for their effectiveness. In all periods and in those distant prehistoric times, people tried in every way to protect their body from damage by the enemy. Accordingly, in the studied period of the New Kingdom, heavy armor was used, which was defined as rare and associated with attributes of power and prestige. An important part of the Egyptian royal historiography was determined by the paraphernalia on which the pharaoh was depicted, rushing on a fast-moving chariot, and he at one time struck a crowd of enemies with a bow. Also, to protect the legs, leggings were used as means of personal protection, and to protect the hands, respectively, a hasty glove. This period of development of personal protective equipment was also characterized by the fact that animal skin was used as the first armor to protect the body. Animal skins were wrapped by warriors around the body or simply draped over the shoulders and hung behind, covering the back. Also used was a bronze bell-shaped carapace consisting of front and back plates, with a simple relief depicting the anatomy of the upper human torso. The two plates were connected to each other with the help of the corresponding fasteners, which are located on the sides and on the shoulders. The bell-shaped carapace gradually went out of circulation as it was replaced by the canvas carapace. Along with this shell, there was also an iron shell. Rich Romans wore chain mail, which was apparently also used by some Greeks at the time. The period of formation and development of personal protective equipment, namely the period of the Middle Ages, is characterized by the following features: it is considered “a great period in the history of the development of knightly protective weapons”; three types of soft armor were used, namely: 1) made of fabric (for example, linen) or leather lined with wool or wool; 2) chain mail (used in Europe since the 5th century BC); 3) from metal plates (more or less large and rigid); pleated paper was used for the production of personal protective equipment at that time.