Good helmets for early second century legionarries

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

Interesting article!

Curious people, that Batavi!

[Tarbicus]

Curious people, that Batavi!

Nutcases. Scary. Stay away.

:wink:

[Crispvs]

I would still date the original manufacture of the Florence helmet to the mid second century AD, based on the form of its crossed re-enforcements, which are of the same type which have been found in late Antonine contexts at Corbridge and the Saalburg. I agree that they seem to be more closely related to the re-enforcements found on 'cavalry' type 'D' and 'E' helmets. I would also contend, as I have said before, that Robinson's reconstruction of this helmet was wrong, as was Peter Connolley's reconstruction drawing of it. Given the form of the re-enforcements I think it much more likely that this helmet originately had a much deeper occipital region with several steps and a wide neck guard. I think that the cheek guards may have been much larger and may have resembled the cheek guard from South Shields.
http://museums.ncl.ac.uk/archive/old%5F ... 5Ffotms96/
http://museums.ncl.ac.uk/archive/old_fo ... /cheek.jpg

None of this, of course argues against it having been vandalised/modified by a Batavian in the mid to late second century AD.

Crispvs

[Tarbicus]

Everyone's forgetting the dating of another Italic D - the Krefeld Italic D - which is has been placed to the latter half of the 1st C (although that is debated). It's almost identical to the Mainz one. I don't understand why the latter is being dated in isolation though, as if it's the only one of its type?

[Robert Vermaat]

I would still date the original manufacture of the Florence helmet to the mid second century AD, based on the form of its crossed re-enforcements, which are of the same type which have been found in late Antonine contexts at Corbridge and the Saalburg.

No problem with that.

Note that the Florence helmet was adapted for Late Roman use!

Or by a Batavian who just didn't like neck and cheek guards! It bears a lot of similarities to some earlier helmet finds. Please have a read of my article on Batavian helmet modifications here..

Sure, but the 'late' dating of the adaption is based on the holes for the leather piping, which is common on every Late Roman helmet, but seems absent on most Principate helmets?

Florence helmet

[Peroni]

Robert wrote:

Sure, but the 'late' dating of the adaption is based on the holes for the leather piping, which is common on every Late Roman helmet, but seems absent on most Principate helmets?

I agree, but the cut-down 'fur and feathers' helmet from Krefeld also had the leather band stitched or wired on.

[Peroni]

Probably one of the earliest examples dated to the early second century
is the Berzobis helmet. This has been discussed at length earlier in the thread.

Originally of the Gallic type, but with an 'L' section browguard and ear flares hammered from the bowl instead of applied, it has been adapted by the addition of cross-bracing reinforcement bars after the removal of the crest holder fitment. Here's a phot of the original..

[Robert Vermaat]

the cut-down 'fur and feathers' helmet from Krefeld also had the leather band stitched or wired on.

Picture?

[Peroni]

It's in the helmet database Robert...

http://www.romanarmy.com/cms/component/ ... Itemid,96/