The incorporation of realistic features and technical accuracy may represent the work of serving soldiers or retired veterans who were not affected by metropolitian influences. Due to the probable cost involved, most reliefs on tombstones were probably limited to the centurion and officer class. An exception to this rule may have been when patronage was involved. Another important factor of Roman sculpture is that most were probably painted to show a higher degree of detail, such as mail rings. The archaeological record does not represent a complete sample of Roman armour types or concentrations.
Some artefacts are probably over-represented in the archaeological record.
An example of this is lorica segmentata fittings which were easily damaged. However, it is intriguing that more segmental lames have not survived as they should prove more durable archaeologically than the components of other armour types. Additionally, the apparent needs for continual repair of this armour type may explain the vast number of brass fittings found. This suggests that these fittings are over-represented in the archaeological record. Their frequency may be the result of their short useful life rather than reflecting the overall frequency of the armour type itself.