07-23-2018, 09:27 AM
In my opinion the Coolus is a continuation of the Mannheim pattern with cheek pieces added. During the 1st Century AD crest knobs and tubes for side plumes appeared. These were in most cases meant for a different kind of crest than the horsehair plume. At the beginning of Empire the peak or brow re-enforce appeared on all infantry helmets. A number of Coolus helmets with peaks tend to have a different kind of crest knob to the Montefortino and plumes for side tubes. A crest knob had apparently become standard and armourers could easily adapt their Montefortinos to the Coolus pattern. The Montefortino helmet from Mainz has exactly the same kind of crest attachment and side tubes as the majority of the late Coolus types. That the armourers made such helmets seems to imply that the class of legionaries that had used the Montefortino now had switched to a different pattern (i.e. the Imperial) That suggests that the Coolus and late Montefortino were intended for a particular class of soldiers.
Interesting is the fact that in the late 1st Century AD bronze Imperial helmets appear that have a similar crest knob and - with one exception - tubes for side plumes too. Were these made for the same class of soldiers and intended to replace the Coolus and Montefortinos still in use up to that time?
Interesting is the fact that in the late 1st Century AD bronze Imperial helmets appear that have a similar crest knob and - with one exception - tubes for side plumes too. Were these made for the same class of soldiers and intended to replace the Coolus and Montefortinos still in use up to that time?
drsrob a.k.a. Rob Wolters
