06-14-2007, 11:44 PM
Hi, Ruben - the two coins with helmet on the reverse are interesting, in that the the 'offset' dies show they were not minted in Carthage, but most likely in Spain, or even South Italy. There are better/crisper versions of this coin, and it is this helmet I was referring to as 'Thracian/Thraco-Attic' .
( As an aside, I dislike helmet typologies, since even Imperial Roman helmets differ markedly from one another - they were all too obviously not factory made - unless maybe the late roman types e.g. 'Intercisa' were made in 'Fabrica.)
Likewise, I am with you on the 'de-based corinthian' helmets (also called "Etrusco-Corinthian" because of their popularity there).
The latter makes the point that a popular etruscan helmet would certainly be in use in Carthage, given their strong trade/alliance ties.
All this means that it is likely that Carthaginian troops, whether mercenary or Liby-phoenecian, are likely to have closely resembled Hellenistic mercenaries, such as those on the Sidon tomb paintings - incidently Sidon, along with Tyre were the two major Phoenician cities., though one suspects that whilst the professional mercenary might afford a Hellenistic helmet, a Liby-Phoenician levy/conscript might have had to make do with a simpler mass-produced 'pot'.
The Athena portraits almost all seem to me to depict the traditional 'corinthian', tilted back, rather than 'de-based' types (look at the skulls and notice also that they are all missing the brow band on the carthaginian, thus looking distinctly 'classical corinthian') - but admittedly very difficult to be certain on this scale and within the limitations of the coin medium.The source for the type on which the Carthaginian is based is clear, however. The carthaginian one seems to show side-whiskers down the cheek (?) - perhaps to emphasise male, and avoid being mistaken for its female prototype?
( As an aside, I dislike helmet typologies, since even Imperial Roman helmets differ markedly from one another - they were all too obviously not factory made - unless maybe the late roman types e.g. 'Intercisa' were made in 'Fabrica.)
Likewise, I am with you on the 'de-based corinthian' helmets (also called "Etrusco-Corinthian" because of their popularity there).
The latter makes the point that a popular etruscan helmet would certainly be in use in Carthage, given their strong trade/alliance ties.
All this means that it is likely that Carthaginian troops, whether mercenary or Liby-phoenecian, are likely to have closely resembled Hellenistic mercenaries, such as those on the Sidon tomb paintings - incidently Sidon, along with Tyre were the two major Phoenician cities., though one suspects that whilst the professional mercenary might afford a Hellenistic helmet, a Liby-Phoenician levy/conscript might have had to make do with a simpler mass-produced 'pot'.
The Athena portraits almost all seem to me to depict the traditional 'corinthian', tilted back, rather than 'de-based' types (look at the skulls and notice also that they are all missing the brow band on the carthaginian, thus looking distinctly 'classical corinthian') - but admittedly very difficult to be certain on this scale and within the limitations of the coin medium.The source for the type on which the Carthaginian is based is clear, however. The carthaginian one seems to show side-whiskers down the cheek (?) - perhaps to emphasise male, and avoid being mistaken for its female prototype?
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
