Italic D: First or second century?

[Peroni]

Excellent photo's Jasper, thanks!

Not to drag this too far off-topic, but is there actual visible evidence that certain helmets have been "cut down", i.e., had neckguards or other parts deliberately removed by the user?

I posted something along these lines already...
Other than basic Roman military finds there have been two archaeological finds of Roman helmets, both imperial Gallic/Weisenau type, in a cut down version, with the cheekguards and neckguard removed. One was found at the Kopsplateau, Nijmegen and one just across the border at Gelduba, modern Krefeld, Germany. The circumstantial evidence of the Krefeld find points to the loss of this helmet in 69AD during the Batavian revolt, during an attack by the forces of the Batavian commander Julius Civilis on the troops under the Roman commanders Dillius Vocula and Marcus Hordionius Flaccus.

Thanks to good conservation, remains of an animal pelt (marten) a leather band and some feathers were preserved. The find spot, the shape and decoration support make it likely that the user was not a Roman by origin. It appears plausible that this was a helmet from one of the Batavian auxiliary regiments, which were then in revolt against the Romans. Though the helmet from the Kopsplateau is at least half a century older in date, it strongly resembles the one from Gelduba; the covering however has not been preserved or was lacking.

The suggestion has been made that the helmet from the plateau also belonged to a Batavian who would have been stationed at the base around 10-20AD. He may have been part of the Batavian auxiliaries participating in the 16AD expedition of Germanicus in German territory on the other side of the Rhine. The Batavian chieftain Chariovalda led the infantry and cavalry units during this campaign. The helmet bowl was of an imperial Gallic type helmet with its neckguard and cheek pieces removed by its user. The helmet is rather dented, but the recess for the ear is clearly visible. The Krefeld helmet and my own reconstruction of what the helmet may have looked like can be seen here....



Regards,