Knights of the 21st Century (phhoto: Mihai Plămădeală)

Used throughout history, armor was determined by materials and technology of each period. Over thousands of years, from skin, bone and wood, it was bronze and steel. The full armor with plates, best known today, appeared in medieval Europe with the invention of hydraulic hammers. We should mention that armor goes in hand with the development of weapons effectiveness, the idea being maximum protection as much as possible without sacrificing mobility. If in the 90s, historical reenactments orders in Romania newly established, were rather based on scenery than functional for over a decade, they have aligned to the most honorable international standards. The picture that accompanies these lines was captured in Sibiu’s Ground Square at the Festival “Transylvanian Fortresses” in 2016, in a break for hydration. At 30 degrees Celsius, with 40 kilograms of equipment, a fighter can lose 1 liter of water in just minutes.