First Sneak Peek at the Dioskouri Corinthian

[katsika]

As I read and interpret statements made by Dioskouri regarding Manning's helmets, and being as I am in a position to discuss at length these points with Dioskouri at will, I can truthfully say there is no bashing intended. As I gather, there are only clinical comparisons being made between the final product results. Manning has been the best up to this point to offer a reasonable facsimile helmet (albeit, IMO, a bit overpriced). Obviously it has never been Manning's objective to produce an authentic, battle-worthy Corinthian helmet. No Greek in his right mind would enter battle, wearing a helmet so thin, it only weighed 3 pounds (Manning's weighs less than 1 kilo - not bashing - stating facts). This is where Dioskouri differs from all other contemporary suppliers. Dioskouri is in the practice of recreating real (battle-worthy) weapons and armor. I have observed up close the techniques and products of this (almost obsessive) armorer and have found their results, in all aspects (from spolas construction to spear points and swords), to be as accurate and faithful to the originals as is humanly possible. Certainly we don't know all the methods and techniques that were incorporated by the Greeks, but all things being equal, I've not found any appreciable deviations from what we know about the Greeks and Dioskouri's methods of (re)construction. The results are what physics dictate, so IMHO this is a pretty good litmus test to give us an idea of what the pieces looked like new, what they weighed and how they reacted to outside stimuli. This particular helmet was made, using logic, a ton of research, a lot of money as well as proper alloys. Not all Greek helmets were made the same way - not all (because of environment) have decayed to the same degree either. It is safe to assume, however, there possibly was an ancient armorer who used techniques very similar to those of Dioskouri. We will never know, but I think it is fair to assume Dioskouri's methods qualify as the closest to date to what appears to be what (at least some of) the ancient armorers employed. There are two choices here: 1) reenact at an "acceptable" level, or 2) approach it from a living historian point of view. The first choice is what the serious reenactor might term as "dress-up" while the second choice will set you apart as a true devotee and student of your passion.