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Caesarian Helmets
#1
Am I correct in thinking that Caesar's soldiers during the Gallic campaigns would have worn Coolus-style helmets? Is it possible the Imperial Gallic would have been in use in the mid-50s B.C.?

Thanks!
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#2
Yes, most likely the Coolus C helmet, but also the Monteforino helmet, even the Gallic A Imperial helmet would have been a stretch since I believe it is only dated as early 30 BC. I am unaware of anything but Coolus helmets being dated during Caesar's time.
Quintus Furius Collatinus

-Matt
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#3
Caesar's soldiers would most likely initially have been equipped with cheap Montifortino type 'C' helmets and possibly a few attic helmets which might have worked their way over from eastern theatres of war (particularly amongst soldiers from legions lent to Caesar by Pompey, which had previously served in Asia Minor and which may have been supplied with equipment by local workshops in the east), when he first started campaigning in Gaul. It is very likely that he would have turned workshops operating in conquered or allied parts of Gaul over to producing equipment for new recruits and to replace damaged equipment, as was the normal practice in other theatres of war. This is probably how large numbers of Gallic type helmets would have started to make their way into Roman armies. It seems likely that some workshops produced Coolus type helmets and some in another parts of Gaul produced the Port type helmets which appear to be ancestral to the Imperial Gallic series of helmets. It is also almost certain that helmets, armour and weapons would have been salvaged from the dead on battlefields and issued out for re-use by Roman soldiers in need of equipment, which would also have helped the spread of Gallic styles of equipment into Roman armies.

We would therefore expect to find that by the end of eight years of Gallic campaigning, Caesars soldiers would probably still have been wearing predominantly Montifortino helmets but alongside these there would also be quite large numbers of Port, Agen and Coolus type 'B' and possibly 'C' helmets. Although Pompey's legions had been returned to him by senatorial decree by this time, there might still have been a few Attic type helmets in use by Caesar's remaining troops as well.


Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers.  :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.romanarmy.net">www.romanarmy.net
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#4
This is all tremendously helpful! Thank you both so much!
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#5
You may also take a look more specifically at Mannheim and Buggenum styles helmets, which can be considered late Montefortino helmets. Their rough construction certainly suggests mass production, which would be in line with the quick raising of legions necessary for the Gallic and Civil Wars.
Danny Deschenes
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#6
Have we found any helmets from the Gallic War battlegrounds? Surely some equipment was missed and forgotten to time
Quintus Furius Collatinus

-Matt
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#7
Well, battlefields (when they can be identified, which is usually very hard to do) rarely turn up much in the way of equipment, due to the fact that whoever won would usually be in possession of the battlefield following the battle. The winner would, as a matter of course, go over the battlefield salvaging any items which might be valuable or useful, meaning that the helmets, swords etc we might wish to find are less likely to be found on a battlefield than on a rubbish heap in an abandoned fort. For an image of equipment being salvaged from a battlefield, have a look at this scene from the Bayeaux Tapestry, made within thirteen years of the Battle of Hastings:
http://webfronter.com/ealing/west_twyfor...bayeux.jpg

The mass grave which was found a few years ago which contained the bodies of forty one Lancastrian soldiers killed at the Battle of Towton in 1461 demonstrated very well how little equipment might be found on an identified battlefield. Prior to being buried, the men had evidently been thoroughly searched for anything which might have been of value. The only artifacts which were found amongst the bones were just three aglets (the brass pieces which adorned the ends of the drawstrings on trousers and stopped them from fraying) and one gold ring. Two of the aglets were associated with the same body. This suggests that the victorious Yorkists went over the bodies so thoroughly that they took not only any money they found, but also any combs, broaches, pewter badges (all of which would be common for men of the time) and even the brass aglets from the dead men's trouser drawstrings. The survival of the gold ring is puzzling but it may have been hidden in someone's clothing. In any case, the almost complete absence of items which might be expected to be found on some or even most men of the time shows just how thoroughly a battlefield would be picked over by a victorious army.

Although both of these examples are mediaeval, I am sure the ancient battlefield was no less well scoured by the victors. Caesar does not seem to have planned to campaign in Gaul originally. All the evidence points to an intended campaign in Illyricum. It was well known though that the Gallic peoples were fond of throwing valuable items into ponds and rivers as sacrifices and this was almost certainly a factor in Caesar's sudden decision to take advantage of the fears of the Aedui over the migration of the Helvetii and campaign in Gaul instead of Illyricum. Caesar made a fortune from his campaigns in Gaul and it is a good guess that he had the rivers and lakes of conquered areas dragged to retrieve valuable items. Given that two of his legions were recruited in a breathtakingly short time (about two weeks) and were probably severely under-equipped I think we can be sure that he was no less punctilious over the salvaging of items from battlefields.
It would also be likely that helmets and armour would be far less common among the possessions of the Gallic and Germanic dead, as these items were also status symbols in a stratified society and so only kings, chieftains and high status retainers would be expected to be in possession of them in the first place.

Sorry to have pulled this a little off topic but I hope it was useful all the same.

Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers.  :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.romanarmy.net">www.romanarmy.net
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#8
My thoughts exactly.
Danny Deschenes
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#9
BTW - this theme is even title of a German-language book:

http://www.amazon.de/Helme-in-Caesars-He...3884670247

On the cover You can see all the styles disputed here already.

Greets - Uwe
Greets - Uwe
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#10
Hi,
In the following forum (In German)
http://forum.hassiaceltica.de/index.php?...eadID=2361
I did find two references to Collus type mannheim helmets (>in French), the first one of which I had known already.
http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/docs/00/...5_439_.pdf
http://forum.hassiaceltica.de/index.php?...eadID=2361
Michel Feugere – 2005
http://gladius.revistas.csic.es/index.ph...File/25/26
Alexis Gorgues – 2005 (>"Gladius", ESP, linked in general somewhere else on this forum)
These papers are well-equipped with pics and maps, though ....
BTW:
How can we be sure that these are no old US-military helmets modified for bikers, worn backwards ?! :roll:


No I'm kidding...... :mrgreen:

Greez

Simplex

Ah yes, I forgot to mention Ancient Warfare, where Caesars Legionaries were covered in an essay by Francois Gilbert ( In English ) --- it's in Vol. 2 issue 4 .
"Cesar's Legionaries--Arms & Equipment Reinterpreted "
Shameless plug here, --- but we hate to see Jasper and the boys on welfare, don't we.
Siggi K.
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