04-28-2009, 04:31 PM
Salvete!
In this thread
link from old RAT
Martijn has provided a link to a Spanish publication of the late 3rd century segmentata finds in Spain.
I had been aware that Spanish finds were indicating use of the segmentata right through the end of the 3rd century (I believe that it has also been discussed on RAT) but this publication appears more comprehensive than the earlier English language publication I had seen.
The Spanish finds remind me of the fact that von Groller's publication of the finds from the "Waffenmagazin" in Carnuntum (Groller, M. von 1901: 'Roemische Waffen', Der Roemische Limes in Oesterreich 2, 85-132) describes (and depicts) a substantial number of simple, roughly hemispherical iron helmet half bowl fragments which had a series of holes punched through their lower rim. To me these look very much like Intercisa type helmets.
These helmets (if that is what they are) were apparently found in the same room as the many segmentata fragments. I understand that in view of the relationship to the camp wall the Waffenmagazin has been dated to the very last phase of occupation in the early 5th century(!) and the presence of the segmentata as the collection of long obsolete scrap metal (Stiglitz, Carnuntum in Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt (ANRW) / Rise and Decline of the Roman World, Hrsg. v. Temporini, Hildegard / Haase, Wolfgang Tl 2: Bd 6: 1977, citing Vetters, Hermann: Zur Spätzeit des Lagers Carnuntum. Österr. Zeitschrift f. Kunst- u. Denkmalpflege. 27/4, 1963, 157 and personal comments by Prof. Ubl).
In view of the fact that different types of armor were associated with different rooms of the Waffenmagazin which appears to conflict with the idea of scrap metal collection and in view of the Spanish finds we may alternatively consider that the contents of the Waffenmagazin actually reflect the equipment still used by Late Roman limitanei in Carnuntum, i.e. they were patrolling the Danube in segmentata and Intercisa helmets!
Any input on more recent research on the dating of the Waffenmagazin would be appreciated.
At the very least, this should be a good excuse for all those early roman re-enactors to attend late roman events and simply re-designate themselves as limitanei.
In this thread
link from old RAT
Martijn has provided a link to a Spanish publication of the late 3rd century segmentata finds in Spain.
I had been aware that Spanish finds were indicating use of the segmentata right through the end of the 3rd century (I believe that it has also been discussed on RAT) but this publication appears more comprehensive than the earlier English language publication I had seen.
The Spanish finds remind me of the fact that von Groller's publication of the finds from the "Waffenmagazin" in Carnuntum (Groller, M. von 1901: 'Roemische Waffen', Der Roemische Limes in Oesterreich 2, 85-132) describes (and depicts) a substantial number of simple, roughly hemispherical iron helmet half bowl fragments which had a series of holes punched through their lower rim. To me these look very much like Intercisa type helmets.
These helmets (if that is what they are) were apparently found in the same room as the many segmentata fragments. I understand that in view of the relationship to the camp wall the Waffenmagazin has been dated to the very last phase of occupation in the early 5th century(!) and the presence of the segmentata as the collection of long obsolete scrap metal (Stiglitz, Carnuntum in Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt (ANRW) / Rise and Decline of the Roman World, Hrsg. v. Temporini, Hildegard / Haase, Wolfgang Tl 2: Bd 6: 1977, citing Vetters, Hermann: Zur Spätzeit des Lagers Carnuntum. Österr. Zeitschrift f. Kunst- u. Denkmalpflege. 27/4, 1963, 157 and personal comments by Prof. Ubl).
In view of the fact that different types of armor were associated with different rooms of the Waffenmagazin which appears to conflict with the idea of scrap metal collection and in view of the Spanish finds we may alternatively consider that the contents of the Waffenmagazin actually reflect the equipment still used by Late Roman limitanei in Carnuntum, i.e. they were patrolling the Danube in segmentata and Intercisa helmets!
Any input on more recent research on the dating of the Waffenmagazin would be appreciated.
At the very least, this should be a good excuse for all those early roman re-enactors to attend late roman events and simply re-designate themselves as limitanei.
Regards,
Jens Horstkotte
Munich, Germany
Jens Horstkotte
Munich, Germany
