Books on Roman helmets

[damianlz]

So, after gorging on book after book on the Roman legions, their history, battles all that razzmatazz I think if found a distinct interest in the development and classifications of Roman helmets, I was wondering if anyone knew of books that delved into the structure, changes and development of the Roman helmets from the pre hoplite to late empire period (or any in between). So far most of the books I have found contain nothing more than paragraph saying "the Montefortino, helmet was used primarily with the introduction of the coolus, etc" and I fear the story teller and armor fan in me needs more.

[Gunthamund Hasding]

well if you want to know more here is one of the best on the market:

Roman military equipment:
from the Punic Wars to the fall of Rome

M. C. Bishop, J. C. Coulston

link for Google books: http://books.google.com/books?id=vsArAAA...CC8Q6AEwAA

and MC Bishop is also on this forum and very active

[Vindex]

This may sound silly but with reference to the development of the helmet have you looked at the RAT's excellent database?

[damianlz]

I certainly have! Ive printed out parts of the helmet differences (classification lising) as well as pictures for my cousin who I was teaching elements of the Roman army too, but I read best out of a book and Id love to see a comparison of the different helmets (ie more montefortino D to E rather than coolus compared to imperial) I also love hearing theories as to why certain elements were added, subtracted etc.

Ganth thank you I think Ill order a copy tonight, I am certainly up for more suggestions!

Thank you both

[Decebalus]

Hello Damian!

The best starting point would still be:

H.R. Robinson, The Armour of Imperial Rome (London 1975)

But it is long out of print and if there's a used copy somewhere it has his price...

When you have the chance to lean a copy, do it!

Robinson's typology is today still used by English scholars, but it is somewhat inflexible because of Robinson's attempt to put every variant of a helmet type into a chronological development.
But as it pictures and describes nearly every Roman helmet known in 1975 it is still an important book.

A refined version of the continental helmet typology (for example Weisenau/Nijmegen instead of Imperial Gallic Type 'A')has been done by:

Markus Junkelmann, Römische Helme (Mainz 2000)

If you understand German, the following books are very useful:

H. Klumbach, Römische Helme aus Niedergermanien (Bonn 1974)
G. Waurick, Römische Helme, in: A. Bottini et al, Antike Helme (Mainz 1988

For 'sports' and 'Parade' helmets (and armour):

J. Garbsch, Römische Paraderüstungen (München 1978)
M. Junkelmann, Reiter wie Statuen aus Erz (Mainz 1996)
H. Born - M. Junkelmann, Römische Kampf- und Turnierrüstungen (Mainz 1997)

For late Roman Helmets:

H. Klumbach, Spätrömische Gardehelme (München 1973)
Ch. Miks, Vom Prunkstück zum Altmetall. Ein Depot spätrömischer Helmteile aus Koblenz (Mainz 2008)
M. Vogt, Spangenhelme (Mainz 2006)

If you read French:

M. Feugère, Casques antiques (Paris 1994)

And finally forthe Italic/Roman bronze helmets:

J.M. Paddock, The Bronze Italian Helmet (1993) which can be downloaded as a pdf file here:

British Library

These are the most important works.

There are of course papers on Roman helmets published in different periodicas.

Greets

[damianlz]

Unfortunantly aside from sporadic italian words and english my language limits are many. Decabalus thank you,Paddocks paper on the bronze helmets is becoming one of the greatest things I have ever read and focuses almost entirely on my main interest at this moment! I will certainly be looking up robinsons book along with Gunth's suggestion below. An absolute Kudos to you both!