Armour has been a basic means of defence for thousands of years. Early armour was made of hard leather, but metal armour was more protective and came into use when bronze was discovered. Around the year, 1200 BC the Greeks wore bronze helmets, breastplates and leg-protectors as they fought the Trojan War. Roman armour was made of iron, and again was made up of separate component parts, striking a balance between freedom of movement and protection.
