I.a leather cuirass, a corselet of thongs (opp. thorax, a brazen breastplate).
I. Lit.: “pro lorica malacum capiam pallium,” Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1, 37: “lata insignisque lorica,” Cic. Mur. 26, 52: “ambulat cum lorica,” id. Fl. 17, 41: “graves loricis,” Liv. 5, 38: “trilix,” Verg. A. 3, 467; 5, 259; Sil. 2, 401: “bilix,” Verg. A. 12, 376: “truncis affixa tropaeis lorica,” Juv. 10, 134: “cum vix loricam multiplicem conixi umeris ferunt,” Quint. 8, 4, 25.—Also of linen: “lintea,” Suet. Galb. 19.—
B. Transf., a defence of any kind.
1. Milit., a breastwork, parapet: “turres contabulantur, pinnae loricaeque ex cratibus attexuntur,” Caes. B. G. 5, 39: “huic vallo loricam pinnasque adjecit,” id. ib. 7, 72: “loricam vallumque struxere,” Tac. H. 4, 37; Curt. 9, 4, 30; Veg. Mil. 4, 28. —
2. A fence, hedge, enclosure, App. M. 6, p. 186; Amm. 24, 5, 2.—
3. A plastering, plaster: “lorica testacea,” Vitr. 2, 8; 2, 9: “stellionis cubile est in loricis ostiorum, fenestrarumque,” Plin. 30, 10, 27, § 89.— *
II. Trop.: “libros Mutare loricis,” i. e. to exchange studies for arms, Hor. C. 1, 29, 15.