04-19-2005, 09:57 AM
It is clear that the makers of 'The Fall of the Roman Empire' made extensive use of the reference material that was available to them at that time (1962). The Roman uniforms are clearly based on the works of the costume historians Racinet and Hottenroth and the books on Roman soldiers by Forestier and Couissin.
Exact copies of archaeological specimens are also visible. The Gladiator soldiers actually wear Samnite triple disc body Armour and the imperial guards wear either the Heddernheim cavalry type H or cavalry sports type G the latter fitted with an inaccurate but impressive black crest. The type H however is copied so faithfully from the original archaeological find it lacks the brow band it should have had. Nevertheless not only are these helmets fairly decent copies but they are also from the right period for the film.
Many of the soldiers wear leather armour but in the scene were the soldiers are being decimated it is possible to see that they are also wearing mail underneath! This was entirely in keeping with the research at that time and even Russell Robinson discusses this point in his book. The officers also wear decent arming doublets beneath their Armour.
In the battle against the Persians there are in fact five armies involved each dressed in regional uniforms. The western Roman army of Livius does appear dressed as before but is quite different in appearance from the eastern Roman army. Again this followed the thinking of the day and we still discuss today whether the eastern troops wore lorica segmentata like those in the west.
Compare this with the film 'Gladiator'. In the book on how that film was made the armourer claims he could not find any reference to the Armour and equipment of the period!
Without the benefit of CGI the set designers on Fall also produced a far more accurate and impressive reconstruction of the Roman Forum than in 'Gladiator'. It is even possible to pick out all the correct temples and buildings behind the triumphal parade of Commodus. Some years ago I met an American tourist who said that the set was still there outside Madrid but was not looked after. I wonder does anyone know what state it is in nowadays?
Exact copies of archaeological specimens are also visible. The Gladiator soldiers actually wear Samnite triple disc body Armour and the imperial guards wear either the Heddernheim cavalry type H or cavalry sports type G the latter fitted with an inaccurate but impressive black crest. The type H however is copied so faithfully from the original archaeological find it lacks the brow band it should have had. Nevertheless not only are these helmets fairly decent copies but they are also from the right period for the film.
Many of the soldiers wear leather armour but in the scene were the soldiers are being decimated it is possible to see that they are also wearing mail underneath! This was entirely in keeping with the research at that time and even Russell Robinson discusses this point in his book. The officers also wear decent arming doublets beneath their Armour.
In the battle against the Persians there are in fact five armies involved each dressed in regional uniforms. The western Roman army of Livius does appear dressed as before but is quite different in appearance from the eastern Roman army. Again this followed the thinking of the day and we still discuss today whether the eastern troops wore lorica segmentata like those in the west.
Compare this with the film 'Gladiator'. In the book on how that film was made the armourer claims he could not find any reference to the Armour and equipment of the period!
Without the benefit of CGI the set designers on Fall also produced a far more accurate and impressive reconstruction of the Roman Forum than in 'Gladiator'. It is even possible to pick out all the correct temples and buildings behind the triumphal parade of Commodus. Some years ago I met an American tourist who said that the set was still there outside Madrid but was not looked after. I wonder does anyone know what state it is in nowadays?
"Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream" Edgar Allan Poe.
"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.
"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.
"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
