HANNIBAL UNIFORM

[smithart101]

Hi All,
this my first post, so here goes...
I'm an artist and have been comissioned to illustrate Hannibal for a book on Rome and her enemies. The reference I have been given is for a figure wearing a helmet of the type shown in the well known bust of Hannibal (you know the one where he looks like a broken nosed boxer wearing a kids plastic helmet!)The rest is guess work, but the author is suggesting a mail shirt similar the the roman type and bronze greaves.
I just wondered if anyone had some suggestions of their own as I would assume Hannibals uniform might be something more impressive.Would a leather muscled cuirass with leather straps forming a skirt be possible? Helmet suggestions would also be much appreciated
thanks in advance
Simon

[M. Demetrius]

There have been dozens of arguments posed concerning leather musculata. The most common conclusion is that there is no evidence for such armor, though bronze musculata breast/back plates have been found in a Roman context. I can't say specifically about Carthagenian armor at the time of the Punic Wars, though. Hannibal was a general, and would have had access to the best, fanciest, most effective armor of his day.

[Matt Lukes]

Hi Simon, welcome to RAT

You might get more by posting this in the Allies and Enemies of Rome section- given that Hannibal was Carthaginian, and that's where the folks who might know Carthage better would probably be...

Matt

[jvrjenivs]

I would say a very good start for your own research on this uniform would be Ancient Warfare magazine III.4, which had the Barcid family as theme.
[url:28ca2fvo]http://www.ancient-warfare.com/cms/ancient-warfare/issues/ancient-warfare-4-2009.html[/url]

[smithart101]

Hi Simon, welcome to RAT

You might get more by posting this in the Allies and Enemies of Rome section- given that Hannibal was Carthaginian, and that's where the folks who might know Carthage better would probably be...

Matt

thanks guys, and Matt, yes I will re post this in the section you mention.
Jvrjenivs, thanks for the link. Thats a great site, great artwork too! I'm going to order the Varus Disaster special edition as I'm fascinated by that. Is there an edition featuring the battle of Thermopylae in detail I wonder?

[Praefectusclassis]

Is there an edition featuring the battle of Thermopylae in detail I wonder?

Not so far!