[[Lêer:Statue-Augustus.jpg|regs|duimnael|[[Augustus Octavianus|Keiser Augustus]] in 'n triomferende houding, waarskynlik tydens die [[Slag van Actium]] ]]
'n '''Kuras''', of '''bors- en rugharnas''', is saam met die helm een van die oudste militêre uitrustings en is ondermeer deur kurassiere gedra. Die rede hiervoor is eenvoudig: in teenstelling tot verwondings aan arms en bene, wat in die [[Klassieke Oudheid]] net soos in die moderne tyd meestal maklik genees het, was verwondings waar die liggaamsholte deurboor is gewoonlik dodelik. Teenswoordig is die tipe verwondings nog steeds baie ernstig, veral vanweë die kans op [[Infeksie|infeksies]]. Die woord "kuras" is vernoem na die oorspronklike materiaal waarvan dit gemaak is ([[leer stof|leer]]) en is afkomstig van die [[Latyn]]se "coriacea" en [[Frans]]se "cuirace". Die gebruik van die term "kuras" verwys gewoonlik na beide die borsplaat (borsplaat of -harnas) en rugkant. Terwyl 'n borsharnas slegs die voorkant beskerm en 'n rugharnas slegs die rug, beskerm 'n kuras beide die voor- en agterkant.<ref>Charlotte R. Long, ''The Twelve Gods of Greece and Rome'' (Brill, 1987), p. 184; Elfriede R. Knauer, "''Knemides'' in the East. Some Observations on the Impact of Greek Body Armor on 'Barbarian' Tribes," in ''Nomodeiktes: Greek Studies in Honor of Martin Ostwald'' (University of Michigan Press, 1993), pp. 238–239.</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dCNioYQ1HfsC&q=japanese+cuirass&pg=PA75|title=Sacred Texts and Buried Treasures: Issues in the Historical Archaeology of Ancient Japan|first=William Wayne|last=Farris|date=3 June 1998|publisher=University of Hawaii Press|via=Google Books|page=75|isbn=9780824820305}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kh-to448NTEC&q=japanese+cuirass&pg=PA173|title=Oriental Armor: By H. Russell Robinson|first=H. Russell|last=Robinson|date=3 June 2017|publisher=Courier Corporation|via=Google Books|page=173|isbn=9780486164472}}</ref> <ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zPyswmGDBFkC&q=meiji+sword+ban&pg=PA43|title=The Connoisseur's Book of Japanese Swords|first=Kōkan|last=Nagayama|date=3 June 1997|publisher=Kodansha International|via=Google Books|page=43|isbn=9784770020710}}</ref> <ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=IQ3FAZG94ZsC&pg=PA58&dq=last+use+of+samurai+armour&hl=en&ei=TD4oTtOtIsjr0gHGhPzbCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CE8Q6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=last%20use%20of%20samurai%20armour&f=true ''Samurai: The Weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior'', Clive Sinclaire, Globe Pequot, 2004, page 58].</ref>
