Signifier and Optio 1st Century BC

[Crispvs]

All of these pictures are, of course modern reconstructions, rather than contemporary pictures of the real thing, so you need to be careful when looking for evidence in modern reconstructions.

That said, all of the pictures you have posted up are well informed reconstructions. Graham Sumner's picture of Pulo and Vorenus, the left hand figure is modelled on the stele of Minucius Lorianus, which I mentioned in my list of sculptural evidence above, and which you should find on the Romanarmy.com imagebase. The right hand figure wears an amalgam of possible equipment. The shield appears to be modelled on the shields form the Altar of Domitius Ahenobarbus. The sword is about right for the period, being somewhat longed than first century AD types and the helmet is a Gallic Agen type helmet, which is not conclusively known to have been used by the Romans but they certainly encountered it in Gaul during Caesar's Gallic campaigns and there are strong indications that the Imperial Gallic type Roman helmets of the first century AD had their origins in helmets like this, so it does seem reasonable to speculate that some Roman soldiers may well have worn helmets captured in Gaul or made for them by Gallic armourers after Caesar had started campaigning in Gaul. I cannot see his body armour well but is looks as if it is supposed to be a garment to cover his armour, to protect it from the elements and it appears to be based on a garment apparently being worn by the first century AD aquilifer Cn. Musius. Much of this appears also to apply to the second picture, which reconstructs Minucius with his attested belt and dagger and adds a subarmalis with pteruges, mail, greave (I am not sure what source Sumner has used for these), a shield like the one mentioned above and an Agen type helmet. Graham obviously likes the Agen type helmets as he has used them in both reconstructions. It would be just as correct (if not more) to use a tinned or silvered Montifortino type helmet.

Crispvs