Late Roman Ridge Helmet writeup

[markusaurelius]

I just recently finished an indepth write up on some some fragments of a Late Roman Ridge helmet. I'm hoping to get some feedback, suggesting, corrections and comments on the content and layout of the write up.

Hopefully it can be a resource for anyone interested in these amazing late Roman Helmets. A more detailed article will hopefully see the inside a journal one day.

[url:v548ioad]http://www.roman-artifacts.com/Helmet%20Fragments%20&%20Shield%20Items/Late%20Roman%20Helmet%20Covering/late%20Roman%20helmet%20covering.htm[/url]

[Caballo]

Many thanks- excellent work! If someone could tell me how to add a karma point, I will!
Cheers
Caballo

[jvrjenivs]

Many thanks- excellent work! If someone could tell me how to add a karma point, I will!

Very good indeed. To add a Karma point, you've to click on the green '+' buttom below the word karma and confirm it on the next page (where you also can leave a comment).

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

The +/- signs have dissappeared again I see! :roll:

[PhilusEstilius]

I think I have to agree with you there Byron looks like no one has them any more and also each page on the Forum tends to count down by many many seconds before one gets any responce.

[Robert Vermaat]

Very good work Markus!

[Urselius]

Very interesting indeed, well done!

I would make one very slight criticism, and that is about the strength of your assertion that silver gilt helmet sheathing was reserved for senior officers. The Bishop and Coulston book mentions that quite a reasonable proportion of, apparently plain, extant Late Roman helmets have traces of silver decoration around rivets, suggesting that they were once silvered.

Silvering could have been relatively common, like gold earrings amongst 18th century sailors; soldiers were amongst the few ordinary members of late Roman society to see much in the way of ready cash. Silvering could be seen as more of an investment than an extravagant expense, as the sheathing could always be stripped off and sold if the soldier fell on hard times.

[Robert Vermaat]

I think that apart from just one, so far all Late Roman helmets of both types have shown even faint traces of sheating.
But that would not mean that all helemts were also elabrately decorated. I think that we might hypothesise that the 'better looking' helmets were not for the common soldier.

[markusaurelius]

Good points Martin & Robert. I will adjust the wording to reflect that. From what I understand there is also a difference between "silvering" and sheathing. Certain helmets, specifaclly the Intercia ones, have been found with traces of "silvering" or "tin" on the surface, much like earlier Roman "silvered" objects (don't have sources with me to check right now, but...). In a numerical term I wonder how many of the known helmets/fragmets have clear evidence of a sheathing. (anyone know?)

I would think that even from a Status point of view, if I was the commander of a unit/army, I certainly wouldn't want my subordinates to have a nicer helmet than I! My hypotheisis is based in part on that idea, that the common soldier would not likely have the same decorations as a commander for instance.

[Robert Vermaat]

I thought it was just sheathing. Not silvering, I mean.

As to having a nicer helmet, of course there would be no law against it, but I think it would not be a good thing for a soldier to make his superior jealous!

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Even in modern times, buying a car that your boss feels is above your station can cause problems.......
The solution in those days of course would be to remove your boss :twisted:

[Urselius]

I would think that even from a Status point of view, if I was the commander of a unit/army, I certainly wouldn't want my subordinates to have a nicer helmet than I! My hypotheisis is based in part on that idea, that the common soldier would not likely have the same decorations as a commander for instance.

In the Napoleonic Wars British infantry officers changed from wearing cocked hats to wearing shakos like the men they lead. They felt rather too conspicuous in action wearing something which marked them out as officers. The headgear of officers and men was different but it wasn't discernable at a distance.

The Roman officer had the option of a helmet studded with paste jewels, if greater swagger was required. Variations in cresting was also a possible rank denoting method.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

In modern comabt situations, it is sometimes advisable for the officers to be very discrete.
A sniper will find an officer a very desireable target. I think that is part of the reasoning behind the muting of uniform id labels /identifiers!?