Roman Pewter

[Lucius Aurelius Metellus]

Does anyone know if the Romans used pewter or not? For example in the fittings of their sword scabbards, brooches, belts, jewelry,etc.? I am contemplating casting my own scabbard fittings for a 4th-5th century spatha, but I only know how to cast in pewter, and wanted to know if it would be correct or not. Have you guys seen some of the prices on different belt and scabbard fittings from various merchants? Most of them are very beautiful, but far beyond my budget, so I would like to make my own if I can. Any help would be very much appreciated! <p>Lucius Aurelius Metellus, miles gregarius, Secunda Brittanica</p><i></i>

[Matthew Amt]

Ave!<br>
<br>
Oh, don't I WISH those turkeys had used pewter more often, it would make our lives SO much easier! I think I've seen a couple pewter spoons and a lead bowl. That's about it. Military belt fittings are copper alloy, or sometimes silver. That's why they are hard to find and hard to afford.<br>
<br>
Sorry about that!<br>
<br>
PS: Oh, yes, for some items you can use bone... <p></p><i></i>

[Lucius Aurelius Metellus]

Hi Matthew!<br>
Well, it was worth a try...(sigh). It sure would make our lives easier, as you said. Guess I'm going to have to try to figure out how to form a chape from brass. Does anyone know how those disc-shaped chapes on late Roman spatha scabbards were constructed? <p>Lucius Aurelius Metellus, miles gregarius, Secunda Brittanica</p><i></i>

[aitor iriarte]

Eeerrh Lucius,<br>
Those 'disk shaped' chapes had become out of use, out of fashion or whatever you like by early fourth century. From then on, rectangular box-like chapes with three buttons at their bottom ends (Gundremmingen type) or U-shaped derivations from the Germanic chapes were in use...<br>
<br>
Aitor <p></p><i></i>

[Lucius Aurelius Metellus]

Hi Aitor,<br>
Cool! Thank you for that information, I was getting my time peroids mixed up. I think the ones you describe may be easier to construct then the one I had in mind. Aitor, if I made one of the little "box-like" chapes, what could I make the little "buttons" be made of? Were they round, and would something like a brass porch light (lantern) finial work for this purpose? Or perhaps some type of brass bead? <p>Lucius Aurelius Metellus, miles gregarius, Secunda Brittanica</p><i></i>

[aitor iriarte]

Hi Lucius,<br>
To make a Gundremmingen chape, the scabbard must have a flat lower base. To it, a flat ellyptical plate must be nailed. That plate has rivetted to it three spheres or three grooved cylinders. The lower end of the scabbard (I mean the 'sides') is now wrapped with thin metal plate, which reminds of the former box chapes,<br>
There were apparently no mouth fittings for these scabbards and the scabbard runner cna be made of bone, like I did with mine.<br>
<br>
Aitor <p></p><i></i>

[Lucius Aurelius Metellus]

Hi Aitor!<br>
Thank you for your valuable information. So what you are saying is that the bottom of the chape is a seperate piece from the sides? Once they are installed on the scabbard, are the individual pieces soldered together, or left in two seperate pieces? This is good, good, information to me, it helps me out greatly! I found a place that sells solid brass round beads that might do well as the three little "buttons" on the bottom. Thanks again, Aitor! This is indeed the chape I will build. <p>Lucius Aurelius Metellus, miles gregarius, Secunda Brittanica</p><i></i>

[aitor iriarte]

Hi Lucius,<br>
The two parts aren't soldered in my chape. The lower edge of the side piece is just slightly hammered over the bottom plate to create a small 'chamfer'. That side piece is just an open strip of thin plate, folded over the scabbard (the joint must be at the back side), then soldered using soft solder and nailed to the scabbard at the back.<br>
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tribunus/contera-1.jpg" style="border:0;"/><br>
<img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v110/tribunus/contera-2.jpg" style="border:0;"/><br>
A good idea that of beads! You can drive a shank through the hole and rivet both, bead and shank, to the bottom plate. It is based on one of the Deurne finds.<br>
<br>
Aitor <p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=aitoririarte>Aitor Iriarte</A> at: 8/18/04 4:59 pm<br></i>

[Lucius Aurelius Metellus]

Thank you so much, Aitor! That answers all of my questions about the chape. It shouldn't be very difficult at all to construct that one! <p>Lucius Aurelius Metellus, miles gregarius, Secunda Brittanica</p><i></i>

[Lucius Aurelius Metellus]

Hi Aitor,<br>
One other question...were swords of this period still worn at all on baldrics, or had they gone to the smaller secondary waist belts? If so, how is the sword belt configured? Is it attached to the balteus in any way, or is it worn seperately? <p>Lucius Aurelius Metellus, miles gregarius, Secunda Brittanica</p><i></i>

[aitor iriarte]

Both methods were used, Lucius, but I guess that the secondary belt was reserved mainly for officers/cavalrymen.<br>
(BTW, balteus is baldric in Latin, cingulum is the word for belt)There is no clear depiction of baldrics later than the Third century, but later baldrics seem to be narrower than their older counterparts.<br>
I wear my sword on a secondary belt and I pass it through a pair of loops? inside my main belt, at the opposite side to the sword Notwithstanding, on the best depiction we have of a secondary belt for the sword (Iranian suspension), that of Stylicho, it seems to be worn OVER the main belt, no means of attachment being visible.<br>
<br>
Aitor <p></p><i></i>

[Lucius Aurelius Metellus]

Hi Aitor,<br>
Thank you for helping me with my questions, my friend. <p>Lucius Aurelius Metellus, miles gregarius, Secunda Brittanica</p><i></i>

[Aluscladiusmaximus]

I was at Chesters on Hadian's wall last weekend and I saw A cup made of Tin this is close to pewter<br>
Aulus Cladius Maximus <p></p><i></i>