Roman masked helmets

[Vexillation]

Salve, fellow ancient history lovers,

first post for me even tough I have a rather long history of studying roman society and warfare.

That about that, now for the question:

The Roman so called face helmets have been found here and there, but I am still a bit at loss when it comes to its usage. I know that some cavalry helmets with face masks have been found, but other types that I have seen looks more like infantry helmets. Some of those, as I understand, are battlefield finds (thus I would assume not for parade usage). So what is your take on it, is it possible that infantry (officers, standard bearers etc?) would have used such a helmet? Or was this something not seen on a battle field?

Oh, and again - a big "hello" to all of you all

[ValentinianVictrix]

Late Roman heavy cavalry known as Clibanarii wore face masks, Ammianus and Julian both describe them as such. The Sasanid equivalent also wore them.

[Flavivs Aetivs]

Welcome to the Forum Joakim!

Secondly, is your username drived from Joachim from Wrath of Khan?

[Vexillation]

Haha, no, it is my actual name. Not feeling any particular wrath at the moment

[Vexillation]

Thank you for the replies. So it seems face mask type helmets were cavalry only then. Does anyone know the actual symbolism?

[Nathan Ross]

There's a lengthy discussion about the use of masks by later Roman cavalry here:

Face mask or face guard in later Roman period

Generally, I think masks are usually considered to be cavalry only. Some were associated with the 'sport' displays - particularly the ones portraying amazons etc - but others may have been worn in battle.

The idea that aquilifers or other standard bearers wore masks is fairly common, but rests on insecure foundations. There's a tombstone to a man named Q Luccius Faustus that might show a facemask perched oddly on his shoulder, but it might also be the head of the animal pelt more often worn by standard bearers. The mask found at Kalkreise might have belonged to a standard bearer, but might equally have been carried or worn by a cavalryman.

[mcbishop]

There's a tombstone to a man named Q Luccius Faustus that might show a facemask perched oddly on his shoulder, but it might also be the head of the animal pelt more often worn by standard bearers.

I quite liked Jon Coulston's suggestion at the Crosby Garrett Helmet conference that the stylised face on that helmet floating over his shoulder may actually be intended to represent the sort of dummy head used in later times for wigs, which would explain the stylised slits for eyes and mouth. If intended as a face-mask helmet, the sculptor was quite capable of representing a face, as is clear from the soldier himself.

Mike Bishop

[Nathan Ross]

the stylised face on that helmet floating over his shoulder may actually be intended to represent the sort of dummy head used in later times for wigs

Why would he have a dummy head on his shoulder? :neutral:

Looking at it now, it doesn't look much like a mask - more like the head of a pig, on a stick, with a cone on top... or a decapitated teddy bear, or...

:dizzy: