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Value of belt plates and parts
#1
During the first century AD, two main types of belt plates were used that can be subdivided as below:

Type A - These plates were cast, flat, narrow and sometimes decorated with niëllo. They were populair during the first half of the first century AD when crosswise belts were usually worn. They can be subdivided:
- tinned plates/parts without decoration
- tinned plates/parts with niëllo
- silvered plates/parts without decoration

Type B - Those plates were broad, made from thin sheet metal and had chased decorations like concentric circles. They can be subdivided:
- tinned plates/parts
- plates/parts cast from almost pure silver. They were made from solid silver


So, in fact, there are five sub types, each with a different financial value. Back then, for example, tinned plates without decoration were less precious than cast plates from solid silver. You wouldn`t expect to see a centurion with undecorated tinned belt plates. I assume there must be a relation between the value and therefore type of belt and the soldiers rank. The higher the rank, the more precious the plates will be.


I would like to impersonate an optio around 40 - 60 AD with a Mainz type gladius. An optio is an officer so you can expect him to have precious belt parts. The point is that it is more difficult to produce those precious belt parts, but making cheap parts (because it`s easier to produce) is no option. What type of belt plates is appropriate for an optio?? Could he wear a belt like the one found in Velsen for example, or is that too cheap? Could he wear solid silver plates (type B) or is that too expensive for an officer like an optio?
(aka Niels)
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#2
The sad thing is... that there is not a whole lot of any physical or written evidence of what an Optio would have worn. Optio's hang out there in limbo somewhere.
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#3
I am not so sure about beltplates made from solid silver there were of course some bronze ones covered in silver sheet but I think that is about as far as they went, then the idea of the better plates belonging to higher rank is not always the case for many ordinary soldiers would have had much of their wealth put into their gear.
Brian Stobbs
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#4
Full silver plates were found in Pompeii / Herculaneum, also the Tekije pieces are full silver AFAIK
Christian K.

No reconstruendum => No reconstruction.

Ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas.
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#5
An Optio was a line soldier who was chosen (hence the name) by the Centurio. His belt plates might very well have been whatever an ordinary soldier with the same status/term of service would have worn.

I don't think anyone joined the army thinking, "I'm going to be an Optio someday." Instead, an Optio distinguished himself during his service as someone who could handle the job, and was recognized as such by the centurion and the men in the century.
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)

Saepe veritas est dura.
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#6
Christian.
Which beltplates from Pompeii / Herculanium do you refer to for if it's the ones that I think this is incorrect, if it's this type it is bronze and was maybe tinned.


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Brian Stobbs
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#7
Niels.
Here is an earlier type that I found some years ago and have put into the British Museum, it has punctim decoration on the plate and was tinned.
In fact the buckle is the first of its type ever to be found in Britain and another type like it was found at Oberstimm.


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Brian Stobbs
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#8
Brian, I`ve seen that buckle earlier, but I never knew you found it. Those are the kind of finds that I love 8+)!


Quote:I am not so sure about beltplates made from solid silver there were of course some bronze ones covered in silver sheet but I think that is about as far as they went (...).
Here I`ve found a pdf document that describes a very precious belt plate (type B) made from almost pure (ca. 96%) solid silver with traces of gilding. At page 286 fig. 5 this plate can be seen and at page 288 fig. 9 the locations of the analyses are indicated. The results of those analyses are summarized on page 291. Given the high percentages of silver, one can undoubtedly assume that solid silver belt plates existed. I`m happy about this, since I don`t like tinning because of its inferior durability. Covering parts with silver sheet is more durable, but it`s impossible to cover the whole item with sheet which causes esthetic issues. Therefore solid silver seems to be the best option.


Quote:An Optio was a line soldier who was chosen (hence the name) by the Centurio. His belt plates might very well have been whatever an ordinary soldier with the same status/term of service would have worn.
An optio started his career as an ordinary soldier and worked his way up to the rank of optio if he was lucky. As optio he was a duplicarius which meant that he earned twice the normal bruto salary. This meant that he earned significantly more money than a common infantryman so that - according to my assumption - it`s easier for him to afford valuable equipment than for other common soldiers.

For example: is it plausible that an optio could afford himself belt plates like the one in the attached document (solid almost pure silver) or was that too expensive?


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(aka Niels)
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#9
Except Tekije silver belts from Belgrade Narodni Muzej I would like to mention the silver roman belt-Cingvlvm Beneficiarivs II century A.D.museum of Abritvs current city of Razgrad Bulgaria (with traces of gilding) It Is exposed together with an inkwell found together with cingulum appliqué.
[Image: 0d.th.jpg]
Radostin Kolchev
(Adlocutio Cohortium)
http://legio-iiii-scythica.com/index.php/en/
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#10
Niels.
Thank you for posting that article I have not come across that one and it looks like it was punched out of thin rolled silver sheet, I like the way the edges are folded from the underside to the front then covered with the decoration strips which makes the tubes secure.
Brian Stobbs
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