12-12-2011, 11:52 PM
We don't really know when the habit of decorating military belts developed, although the wealth of evidence for belt fittings by the early first century AD compared to the rarity of such items from first century BC contexts makes it tempting to think that the adoption of highly decorated belts may have gone hand in hand with the setting up of a permanent professional standing army after Augustus' settlement of 23BC.
Caesar refers to his providing his soldiers with equipment decorated with precious metals in order that they would take greater care of their equipment but we do not know whether or not this included decorated belts. If it did however, this might have been the origin of decorative plates on military belts. However, the hard evidence to support this view is lacking.
The 'Altar of Domitius Ahenobarbus' shows four legionaries and a cavalryman. These all war mail with belts but there is nothing to suggest that these were plated. However, the men are also shown apparantly barefoot, which suggests that some details were painted on and so the belts may (but equally may not) have been more decorative than they appear today. This monument dates to some time during the first half of the first century BC.
The Roman soldiers depicted on the column of Aemilius Paulus at Delphi, dating to the 130sBC also show mail worn with belts but again these belts appear to be plain and any paint which might have helped us is now long gone.
The belt had been significant for a long time for Roman military service. It allowed the tunic to be hitched up above the knee in a military fashion and there are some indications that during the Republic soldiers returned from campaign would pass through the Gate of Janus and remove their belts as they did so, to visually signify their return to civilian status (with the tunic now worn full length rather than hitched up with the belt. However, there is nothing to indicate that these belts were in any way unusual, so we really do not know when the concept of the 'cintus' or 'balteus militare' (please note that the term 'cingulum' seems to have referred to women's belts until sometime in the third century AD) developed.
Even for the Domitius Ahenobarbus and Aemilius Paulus soldiers, the best we can say is that they wear belts. Whether or not these belts were categorically 'military belts' is anyone guess really. It may be entirely possible that strong undecorated belts had long been seen as 'military belts' and that it was only later that they started to be adorned with plates. Then again, the concept may have been introduced at the time of the rise of the professional Roman soldier.
Incidentally, the reproduction Velson fittings that Peronis sells can be found here:
https://www.armamentaria.com/store/index...20a&page=4
Sorry I could not link to it before. I was at the library and the filter system would not allow access to any site which mentioned weapons.
Crispvs
Caesar refers to his providing his soldiers with equipment decorated with precious metals in order that they would take greater care of their equipment but we do not know whether or not this included decorated belts. If it did however, this might have been the origin of decorative plates on military belts. However, the hard evidence to support this view is lacking.
The 'Altar of Domitius Ahenobarbus' shows four legionaries and a cavalryman. These all war mail with belts but there is nothing to suggest that these were plated. However, the men are also shown apparantly barefoot, which suggests that some details were painted on and so the belts may (but equally may not) have been more decorative than they appear today. This monument dates to some time during the first half of the first century BC.
The Roman soldiers depicted on the column of Aemilius Paulus at Delphi, dating to the 130sBC also show mail worn with belts but again these belts appear to be plain and any paint which might have helped us is now long gone.
The belt had been significant for a long time for Roman military service. It allowed the tunic to be hitched up above the knee in a military fashion and there are some indications that during the Republic soldiers returned from campaign would pass through the Gate of Janus and remove their belts as they did so, to visually signify their return to civilian status (with the tunic now worn full length rather than hitched up with the belt. However, there is nothing to indicate that these belts were in any way unusual, so we really do not know when the concept of the 'cintus' or 'balteus militare' (please note that the term 'cingulum' seems to have referred to women's belts until sometime in the third century AD) developed.
Even for the Domitius Ahenobarbus and Aemilius Paulus soldiers, the best we can say is that they wear belts. Whether or not these belts were categorically 'military belts' is anyone guess really. It may be entirely possible that strong undecorated belts had long been seen as 'military belts' and that it was only later that they started to be adorned with plates. Then again, the concept may have been introduced at the time of the rise of the professional Roman soldier.
Incidentally, the reproduction Velson fittings that Peronis sells can be found here:
https://www.armamentaria.com/store/index...20a&page=4
Sorry I could not link to it before. I was at the library and the filter system would not allow access to any site which mentioned weapons.
Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers. :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.romanarmy.net">www.romanarmy.net
<a class="postlink" href="http://www.romanarmy.net">www.romanarmy.net
