Information on Rome\'s early barbarian opponents

[Paullus]

In particular I am looking for information or websites on Germanic and Dacian weapons and armor from the 1st-2nd centruy AD. Right off the bat I'll say that I know almost nothing about the Germans and only a scant amount on the Dacians, but from what I have been able to surmise I gather the Celtic-style spatha was the main sword that the Romans faced (besides the falx obviously). I've already read about a German copy of the gladius. Plus on one site I read that bronze swords were somewhat common, is this so?<br>
<br>
If this is off topic, forgive a newbie<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Jeroen Pelgrom]

Salve,<br>
<br>
i have found this website concerning Dacians:<br>
[url=http://www.geocities.com/cogaionon/index.htm" target="top]www.geocities.com/cogaionon/index.htm[/url]<br>
In the picture index on that site are also 2 pictures of Dacian weapons (3 swords) and a Dacian helmet.<br>
<br>
and this one:<br>
[url=http://www.angelfire.com/country/dacia/sarmi/contents.htm" target="top]THE DACIAN FORTRESSES OF THE ORêTIE MOUNTAINS[/url]<br>
and another one (with a picture of some Dacian helmets)<br>
[url=http://members.tripod.com/dacians1/dacians.htm" target="top]members.tripod.com/dacians1/dacians.htm[/url]<br>
<br>
Concerning Germanic weapons:<br>
Most Germanics fought with a spear, only relying on a shield for defence. Only some had a helmet and armour. Finds of spear show that bone spear and arrow heads were used along iron versions. Some may have had axes and/ or long knives.<br>
<br>
Germanic leaders may have had access to roman style equipment or in Celtic-style. Swords were rare.<br>
<br>
I haven´t been able to find some good link about Germanic weapons, perhaps someone else knows one.<br>
I hope that this helps. <p>-------------------------------------------------------<br>
Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings -- they did it by killing all those who opposed them.<br>
<br>
<br>
</p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=pelgr003>pelgr003</A> at: 6/23/04 9:55 am<br></i>

[Anonymous]

Very interesting site about the Dacians.<br>
Now, what kind of helmet is THIS???<br>
<img src="http://lucretius.homestead.com/files/Dace.jpg" style="border:0;"/><br>
<br>
Yours very, very puzzled..<br>
<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=antoninuslucretius@romanarmytalk>Antoninus Lucretius</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://lucretius.homestead.com/files/Cesar_triste.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 6/23/04 12:16 pm<br></i>

[Paullus]

Thanks for the links, they help big time Never knew that the Dacians used the akinakes!<br>
<br>
That is a weird looking helmet Looks like a bit of eastern influence there.<br>
<br>
On helmets, can you guys tell me what Germanic helmets would have looked like? Would they be similar to the Celtic Montefortinos, Negaus, and Agens, or would they have the more Dacian style Phyrgian types or even Sarmatian/Scythic styles?<br>
<br>
In a similar vein, what about armor? I'm assuming it was chainmail or simple breast and back plates. For the Dacians I believe I've read somewhere that chainmail was the armor used by the nobility. Would this copy Roman styles or a more Sarmatian influence? For that matter, it would seem that scale could be plausible.<br>
<br>
Thanks again <p></p><i></i>

[Mithras]

Osprey des a wonderful and well-illustrated book called Rome's Enemies 1: Germaics & Dacians.<br>
<br>
Its cheap and its great! <p></p><i></i>

[Uwe Bahr]

Lucretius,<br>
<br>
do You have any information about the helmet, e. g. the find spot or the date? It is difficult to decide which type of helmet it is - but it reminds me to the paintings of Angus McBride for Osprey's "The Scythians". The latter had often reworked booty helmets and characteristically seem to have been that the helmets' shape were rather narrow - but that's only a guess.<br>
<br>
Uwe <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

There's a few pages on the weapons from the Hjortspring boat - Germanic but pre-Roman, about 300 BC - at home6.inet.tele.dk/hjortspr/weapons.htm<br>
<br>
The Swords page notes that the remains of 10-20 mail shirts were found there, possibly the oldest in Europe. No helmets, it seems.<br>
<br>
There was a very good and well-illustrated site on the Illerup Adal finds - German weapons including a lot of Roman imports - at www.illerup.com , but it seems to have disappeared. Anyone know what's going on there?<br>
<br>
At www.chasuari.de/ is the website of an Early German re-enactment group that you may find useful. <p></p><i></i>

[Robert Vermaat]

Quote:</em></strong><hr>Osprey des a wonderful and well-illustrated book called Rome's Enemies 1: Germanics & Dacians.<hr>Actually..<br>
Read this [url=http://p200.ezboard.com/fromanarmytalkfrm10.showMessage?topicID=392.topic" target="top]recent review.[/url]<br>
<br>
Valete,<br>
Valerius/Robert <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=vortigernstudies>Vortigern Studies</A> at: 6/24/04 3:05 pm<br></i>

[Anonymous]

Published at least ten years ago, Osprey's Dacians and Germans definitely needs a revised edition...<br>
..To put it nicely...<br>
And no Uwe I don't have any reference for the bizarre helmet. I was hoping someone here had..<br>
I suppose it was found in Dacia. On the picture it can be seen that it was heavily restored and also that there is what looks like a temporal volute going backwards, which is strange. <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=antoninuslucretius@romanarmytalk>Antoninus Lucretius</A> <IMG HEIGHT=10 WIDTH=10 SRC="http://lucretius.homestead.com/files/Cesar_triste.jpg" BORDER=0> at: 6/24/04 3:44 pm<br></i>

[Uwe Bahr]

Lucretius,<br>
<br>
I didn't see the volute, very interesting. It seems to be a piece that was captured and reworked. Perhaps it was seriously damaged and thus had to get this narrow shape. It looks like an unprofessional and provisional<br>
work, may be by a barbarian forger. "Cheekpieces" and "nasal" seem to be of the same shape. The "neck guard" seems to be applied later and from a different design than the other parts.<br>
Can You tell us the internet address where You have it from or provide us with a larger photo?<br>
<br>
Uwe <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Uwe that helmet comes the dacian site that Pelgr has posted (the first one). <p></p><i></i>

[Wagnijo]

duncan wrote:<br>
<br>
"There was a very good and well-illustrated site on the Illerup Adal finds - German weapons including a lot of Roman imports - at www.illerup.com , but it seems to have disappeared. Anyone know what's going on there?"<br>
<br>
www.Illerup.dk <br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Wagnijo, thanks, that's great!<br>
<br>
Paullus, you'll probably find that site very useful for early Germanic arms. It's available in Danish or German, but even if you don't read either language there are some excellent photos and a few articles in English including one on the arms. <p></p><i></i>