08-01-2012, 10:57 AM
Actualy, if you examine the evolution of these helmets the reason for this construction becomes quite clear.
Early Gladiators used the same helmets as the ethnic fighters they were modeled on.
There is Iconography of Gallic style Port-Nidau and early Weissenau types used as well as Phrygian helmets and other Hellenistic helmets.
To improve the safety of the fighters as well as prolong the fights, the cheekpieces were elongated until they met in the middle of the face and only small eyeholes were left. Still they were hinged cheekpieces, so they had to be stabilized by a central box on the forehead.
While the cheekpieces became bigger on all helmets, the Boetian stile of helmet became the dominant form of helmet for all except the Celtic types of Gladiators. The brim was straightened and became more wide on those helmets which led to the Chieti type helmets with small eyegrills and a flat wide brim.
Also the cheekpieces were elongated downwards to cover the neck area as well as the face.
It is unclear when the smooth Secutor helmet was invented, as the only depiction of a Retiarius fighting a Murmillo still shows an open faced Boetian style helmet.
Probably the Secutor evolved from the Gallic line of helmets with its massive neckguard and more robust visor halves.
The next evolution on the Chieti helmets was to bring the brim further down to the shoulders and to provide a better flow of air and better visibility with bigger eyegrills.
The Pompeji type is a transitional style, while the Berlin type is the end point of this development.
Both share a much lowered "brim" to better protect the shoulders and neck, swept high around a visor of two big rectangular grills.
The former cheekpiece construction is upheld in the lower solid throat protection still hinged to the helmet bowl.
While the Berlin type became the standard helmet for all Gladiators except for the Hoplomachus and Eques who still used the Chieti type as this allowed more mobility in the shoulders needed for the use of spears, the Secutor was also modified to have a visor with multiple small holes instead of the two big ones.
As we can see on the later Mosaics the helmet style with only two eyeholes was also still used till the end of Gladiatura however.
Early Gladiators used the same helmets as the ethnic fighters they were modeled on.
There is Iconography of Gallic style Port-Nidau and early Weissenau types used as well as Phrygian helmets and other Hellenistic helmets.
To improve the safety of the fighters as well as prolong the fights, the cheekpieces were elongated until they met in the middle of the face and only small eyeholes were left. Still they were hinged cheekpieces, so they had to be stabilized by a central box on the forehead.
While the cheekpieces became bigger on all helmets, the Boetian stile of helmet became the dominant form of helmet for all except the Celtic types of Gladiators. The brim was straightened and became more wide on those helmets which led to the Chieti type helmets with small eyegrills and a flat wide brim.
Also the cheekpieces were elongated downwards to cover the neck area as well as the face.
It is unclear when the smooth Secutor helmet was invented, as the only depiction of a Retiarius fighting a Murmillo still shows an open faced Boetian style helmet.
Probably the Secutor evolved from the Gallic line of helmets with its massive neckguard and more robust visor halves.
The next evolution on the Chieti helmets was to bring the brim further down to the shoulders and to provide a better flow of air and better visibility with bigger eyegrills.
The Pompeji type is a transitional style, while the Berlin type is the end point of this development.
Both share a much lowered "brim" to better protect the shoulders and neck, swept high around a visor of two big rectangular grills.
The former cheekpiece construction is upheld in the lower solid throat protection still hinged to the helmet bowl.
While the Berlin type became the standard helmet for all Gladiators except for the Hoplomachus and Eques who still used the Chieti type as this allowed more mobility in the shoulders needed for the use of spears, the Secutor was also modified to have a visor with multiple small holes instead of the two big ones.
As we can see on the later Mosaics the helmet style with only two eyeholes was also still used till the end of Gladiatura however.
Olaf Küppers - Histotainment, Event und Promotion - Germany
