Tag: greave

A greave is a piece of armour that protects the leg. Often in matched pairs (a pair of greaves), greaves may be constructed of materials ranging from padded cloth to steel plate. Some designs protect only the lower leg (a half-greave) or extend upwards to protect the thigh.

Greaves are most commonly found in the armor of heavy infantry, usually from ancient times.

In the Middle Ages, greaves eventually developed to protect the back of the legs as well and these were called full greaves (the style which only covered the front became known as half-greaves or demi-greaves).

[Source: wiki]