11-05-2007, 09:30 PM
Hypaspist wrote:-
"They must have had great Skill. So My Point is These Numbers do not mean so much as one would think , only the optimum one may be able to achieve technically .
I do not know how accurate it is , But I heard sometime back a typical Corinthian helmet had about 2mm of thickness throughout ??"
Giannis said:-
"Undoubtedly ancient metal workers had skill and knowledge above modern metal workers."
Greek armour constantly evolved as you are all aware, as did the metallurgy. Early Corinthian helmets were 'softer','thicker' and 'heavier', weighing 1.25-1.6kg in the early sixth century--they mostly conformed to the skull e.g the "milos" type I illustrated in "Warfare in the Classical World". The late Corinthian first appears around 530 b.c., distinguished by it's central peak and offset from forehead and sides by a curving ridge, and tends to weigh around 0.9 kg, and is thinner and cold-worked. (c.f. the U.S WW2 steel helmet at 1.11 kg).....BTW, the Deepeeka Late Corinthian, though of uniform thickness, is about the right weight...
It is also difficult to generalise because these helmets were all individually
made, and differed in thickness in different parts ( like modern tank armour). ….sophisticated ! 8)
A study of several dozen, from Olympia (dedications) revealed the following details of thickness for Late Corinthian helmets........
cheeks : generally around 0.75 mm, but up to 1.25 mm
around the eyes: generally around 1.25 mm, but up to 1.75 mm
Nasal top: around 2.75-3.75 mm but one 5 mm
Nasal bottom: 4.0-5.0 mm but one 3.75 and another only 1.5 mm
forehead: 1.0 mm-2mm
temple: 0.75-1.0 mm
neck: 0.75-1.75 mm, (avge around 0.75 mm-1.0 mm)
It should also be remembered these helmets were worked from a single sheet.
These figures also show that 1-2mm of cold-worked and hardened bronze was considered adequate protection, when added to the ‘new’ more efficient shape, which implies that the 0.5-1mm or so of a shield face, while unable to ‘stop’ a spear thrust or sword slash, may well have added some additional protection.
"They must have had great Skill. So My Point is These Numbers do not mean so much as one would think , only the optimum one may be able to achieve technically .
I do not know how accurate it is , But I heard sometime back a typical Corinthian helmet had about 2mm of thickness throughout ??"
Giannis said:-
"Undoubtedly ancient metal workers had skill and knowledge above modern metal workers."
Greek armour constantly evolved as you are all aware, as did the metallurgy. Early Corinthian helmets were 'softer','thicker' and 'heavier', weighing 1.25-1.6kg in the early sixth century--they mostly conformed to the skull e.g the "milos" type I illustrated in "Warfare in the Classical World". The late Corinthian first appears around 530 b.c., distinguished by it's central peak and offset from forehead and sides by a curving ridge, and tends to weigh around 0.9 kg, and is thinner and cold-worked. (c.f. the U.S WW2 steel helmet at 1.11 kg).....BTW, the Deepeeka Late Corinthian, though of uniform thickness, is about the right weight...
It is also difficult to generalise because these helmets were all individually
made, and differed in thickness in different parts ( like modern tank armour). ….sophisticated ! 8)
A study of several dozen, from Olympia (dedications) revealed the following details of thickness for Late Corinthian helmets........
cheeks : generally around 0.75 mm, but up to 1.25 mm
around the eyes: generally around 1.25 mm, but up to 1.75 mm
Nasal top: around 2.75-3.75 mm but one 5 mm
Nasal bottom: 4.0-5.0 mm but one 3.75 and another only 1.5 mm
forehead: 1.0 mm-2mm
temple: 0.75-1.0 mm
neck: 0.75-1.75 mm, (avge around 0.75 mm-1.0 mm)
It should also be remembered these helmets were worked from a single sheet.
These figures also show that 1-2mm of cold-worked and hardened bronze was considered adequate protection, when added to the ‘new’ more efficient shape, which implies that the 0.5-1mm or so of a shield face, while unable to ‘stop’ a spear thrust or sword slash, may well have added some additional protection.
"dulce et decorum est pro patria mori " - Horace
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
(It is a sweet and proper thing to die for ones country)
"No son-of-a-bitch ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country" - George C Scott as General George S. Patton
Paul McDonnell-Staff
