Acceptible for mid-1st century?

[Titus Manlius Verus]

I've been browsing legionary helmets, and I found one that looks a bit unusual. It's a Gaulic "A" type with Nijmegen cheek guards, created by Daniyal Steelcrafts. My question is wether or not it is acceptible for mid to late 1st century impressions. Below is a link. I would love advice on what everyone thinks. Thanks. 8-)

http://legvi.tripod.com/armamentarium/id289.html

[66kbm]

Try this link, it may help.
Kevin
http://www.romancoins.info/MilitaryEquip...elmet.html

[Titus Manlius Verus]

Thank you very much. That link is extremely helpful. :woot:

[jvrjenivs]

Although a bit early, I personally would say it would do fine within the whole first century.

[Titus Manlius Verus]

Yea, the helpful link that Kevin posted told me that it's an Augustan/Tiberius era helmet. However, wasn't it common for legion recruits to be issued used equipment that had been in service for decades prior?

[Gaius Colletti]

However, wasn't it common for legion recruits to be issued used equipment that had been in service for decades prior?

Yes, but that is really stretching it. You are talking about a helmet that dates as early to the beginning of Augustus' reign. I'm not saying it is impossible, but we don't have any evidence to assume the helmet lasted for 100 years. These helmets were already aging in the early First Century, and newer and more attractive/decorative helmets were well on the rise

[Titus Manlius Verus]

I think that it is certainly possible that that a helmet could make it to the mid to late 1st century. I never said that it had to last to the Dacian wars (AD 106). The helmet is Augustan/Tiberius era helmet. Let's say (hypothetically of course) the helmet (another link to it below) was made in the final years of Tiberius' reign (AD 37) and was issued to a Legionnaire who was stationed in a dry climate, say, Numidia or Palestine, and this soldier was extremely particular about the state of his equipment. Given the fact that the helmet is tinned bronze, is in a dry climate, and barring any major action, I can't see why a helmet wouldn't be in servicable condition until at least the AD 80's.

In addition, we all know that the Roman army wasn't as fashion conscious as many of us would like to believe. Given the fact that the army was the biggest drain on the state budget, it's extremely feasable to theorize that the military would have kept as much equipment in use for as long as possible.

Good posting, Matt 8)

To the above discussed helmet: http://legvi.tripod.com/armamentarium/id289.html

[Primvs Pavlvs]

It was common for various 20th century military forces around the world to use helmets 50 years out of date.

[Crispvs]

I would be inclined to date the manufacture of a helmet such as this to the beginning of Tiberius' reign at the latest (after all, the Besancion Imperial Gallic 'F' was deposited sometime between AD48 and AD52 and was almost certainly made after the Imperial Gallic 'A's and similar helmets and is hardly likely to have been new when deposited). It is certainly true that items of equipment occasionally had very long active lives but it would also be true that any such item's condition would inevitably reflect its age.
Therefore I think it quite possible that an Imperial Gallic 'A' helmet might still have been in service into the AD80s or 90s, but by that time we would expect it to bear the ownership inscriptions of a succession of owners, have a few dents and scratches, show evidence of the tinning having worn off and maybe having been re-applied (possibly more than once) as well as having had one or both cheek guards replaced or repaired.
What I do not think possible would be that an apparently new Imperial Gallic 'A' helmet might be seen in the last quarter of the first century AD. That would be nothing short of a fantasy scenario I am afraid.

As to fashion, you are, I think, only partially correct. Belt styles appear to have changed every twenty five to fifty years. Several styles were in use at any one time but they always seem to fall out of use at the same time. New styles do not seem to be found mixed up with old styles. Other items do not seem to have been subject to fashion in the same way.

When it came to being a drain on the economy, I am not so sure that this was the case during the Principate (although later on it probably was true), due to Augustus having instituted a 4% tax which was calculated to cover the cost of a standing army.

Crispvs