Imperial Gallic C

[Caius Valens]

Hello Caius here, The Imperial Gallic C has no earguards which indicates manufacture in the late first century BC to early first century AD. Could this helm still be used in a Trajanic contex, or would it be out of service by then. Any thoughts Thanks in advance Caius/Thomas

[Doc]

IMHO I think that the trajianic period would be late for the use of the Gallic C helmet. However, many pieces of equipment were used for decades at a time possibly owing to the theory that it could have still been in use. Again only theoretically.

If the impression you are after is that of an officer it would be logical to assume that officers would have purchased the lattest helmet available not something outdated.

However, if one were to look at the montefortino and coolus helmets, they were in service well into the first century AD possibly even later even though they were in service from BC.

I would stick to something later than the Gallic C like the Italic D, Gallic I, Gallic F, Gallic H etc.

This is as much I can advise you.

There are others who have a more extensive knowledge that can help or even correct what I have said.

Paolo

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

I think two exemplars of that helmet were found in the river Po, and the theory is that were discarged by soldiers run away from the second battle of Cremona. So it was a used helmet in flavian times. Use in later times? Who knows?

[Peroni]

The Gallic C is a unique helmet having no ear guards. It may have actually just been commissioned this way.

It is incorrect to say that the Gallic H is a 'later' helmet type though! The original helmet was among the finds from the Roman military depot which was located at the confluence of the river Lech and the river Wertach. The depot was destroyed in a flood shortly after 15 BC, and no later than 15 AD since a new camp / depot was built straight afterwards on the hill where the later Augusta Vindelicum (Augsburg) was founded.

Robinson suggested a progression/development of helmets of this (Gallic) type using sometimnes only single examples. Later archaeology has disproved this theory.



We certainly have hard evidence from the archaeological record of adapted Gallic G types (the Berzobis helmet) and a similar example from Brigetio also with retro-fitted cross-bracing.

The Gallic I type with the crest finial is depicted in use on the Adamklissi metopes on the Tropeum Traiani. So, you could use the Mainz or Budapest or our new Carnuntum helmet for that!

See this thread http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic. ... ic+helmets

I think César is confusing the Gallic C with the Italic C helmets from the Po at Cremona. :wink:

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

Yes, i do...

Sorry...

I think the gallic H is very close to aother types, and the unic exemplar is very corroded to establish a diferent type. In fact i think Gallic G, H and F are very similars, and the variations are logic in a artesanal fabrication.

[Peroni]

In fact i think Gallic G, H and F are very similars, and the variations are logic in a artesanal fabrication.

Exactly!

The Gallic C (if we use Robinson's eyebrow type classification) from Krefeld was dated to a 69AD context, so could have been in use for some time.

[Marcus Iulius Chattus]

@ Ceasar.
I guess you mean the Imperial-Italic-C Helmet that was found in the River Po, and not a Gallic-C. It´s a very crude brass helmet. The second helmet that was found in the River Po was a late Montefortino helmet. Both Helmets are depicted in Connolly´s "Roman Army", page 49, nr. 8 and nr. 9.