11/5/2023 0 Comments Roman centurion helmet ancient![]() Although its crest attachment was missing, a round imprint suggests a soldered on disc, indicating it had an Italian style "twist on" crest holder, rather than the Gallic style "slide-on" crest. ![]() Lucretius Celeris of Legio I Adiutrix (a legion which was stationed at Mainz from 71 to 86 AD, dating the helmet to this period). Like several other helmets, the original was found in the River Rhine at Mainz, including one with the inscription of a soldier named L. This helmet dates to the same period as the Imperial Gallic H, and is essentially the same design, but is made in the cupric alloy " orichalcum" (brass) instead of iron. However, as both styles of neck guard were clearly used side by side, it was likely a matter of personal preference and/or armoury issue of what type could be worn by a particular Roman soldier. Other datable helmets indicate a trend toward these more sloping neck guards in the last half of the 1st century, which continued through the 2nd and 3rd centuries. The most complete example of this type is from Lech, near Augsburg, Germany. This helmet is similar in design to the Gallic G, but features a different style of eyebrows and a more sloping neck guard. The Weisenau example's brass rosettes resemble those found on the lorica segmentata in the Corbridge hoard. ![]() Fragments of helmets of this style were found in rubbish pits at Colchester (now reassembled and displayed at the Colchester Castle Museum) and so can definitely be dated to the Boudican revolt of AD 61, though they lack the Weisenau example's carrying handle, which probably makes the Weisenau one later. The best example was found in the Rhine River at Mainz-Weisenau and is now exhibited in Worms. Robinson considered this the "typical mid-first century legionary helmet" (although the Coolus/Montefortino was probably more common) and it seems to have continued in use on into the early 2nd century AD. ![]() Imperial Gallic helmets Imperial Gallic G AD 125 through the latter 3rd century AD. This started as a field modification, as seen on several Imperial Gallic helmets with the crossbars hastily riveted right over the decorative eyebrows (crossbars are seen on some, though not all, of the legionary helmets on Trajan's Column), but quickly became a standard feature, found on all helmets produced from ca. The Roman combat experience of the Dacian wars produced further developments in helmet design, particularly the two iron bars riveted crosswise across the helmet skull (alternatively, two thick bronze strips might be riveted to the top of a bronze legionary or auxiliary helmet) it has been suggested that this form of reinforcement was added as protection against the falx. These differences in decoration and workmanship tended to diminish as time went on the last two Italic types classified by Robinson, the Hebron (Italic G) and Niedermörmter (Italic H) helmets, were as carefully crafted and well-decorated as any Imperial Gallic helmet.Īlthough derived from a Celtic original, the Imperial helmet had more advanced features, such as a sloped neck guard with ribbing at the nape, projecting ear guards, brass trim, and decorative bosses. They drew these names from their main manufacturers, rather than wearers – Robinson believed "Imperial Gallic" helmets (featuring a pair of distinctive embossed eyebrows on the forehead region and tending to be carefully made and elaborately decorated) were the products of Celtic craftsmen in Gaul whereas "Imperial Italic" helmets (lacking the eyebrows and somewhat more roughly made) were the product of less-skilled copycats in Italy and elsewhere in the Empire. Russell Robinson, who further sub-divided this main type into the two sub-types of "Imperial Gallic" and "Imperial Italic". The term Imperial helmet was coined by H. This constituted the final evolutionary stage of the legionary helmet ( galea). So when the improved Imperial helmet appeared, it replaced what remained of the very old Coolus type, which was largely superseded at the time by improved versions of the Montefortino helmet type, which continued to serve alongside it for a time. Even as the professional Imperial army emerged, and short-term service citizen soldiers became rare, useful equipment was never discarded. Thus, a variety of equipment, from different eras was present in the ranks. Prior to the Empire, Roman Republican soldiers often provided their own equipment, which was passed down from father to son. The Imperial helmet-type was a type of helmet worn by Roman legionaries.
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