Later Roman arm guard?

[Nathan Ross]

utterly fanciful

What, the whole thing? :-)

I believe the torso armour, belts, pteruges, greaves and scabbard are based on a trophy sculpture found near Abrittus and dated to the mid-late third century. There's probably a picture of that online somewhere too... The old problem of interpreting sculptural representations recurs here, perhaps...

[Renatus]

I believe the torso armour, belts, pteruges, greaves and scabbard are based on a trophy sculpture found near Abrittus and dated to the mid-late third century.

It's from this in the Archaeological Museum of Tropaeum Traiani at Adamclisi and, I believe, from a Constantinian reconstruction dated to 316. Not entirely fanciful, after all, but still no authority for the arm guard.

http://istoriesinumismatica.files.wordpr...c05779.jpg

[Nathan Ross]

this in the Archaeological Museum of Tropaeum Traiani at Adamclisi

Yes, that's the one exactly. But, as you say, no arm guards... I remain mystified by them...

[Renatus]

It's from this in the Archaeological Museum of Tropaeum Traiani at Adamclisi and, I believe, from a Constantinian reconstruction dated to 316.

It occurs to me that this is rather ambiguous. I was trying to say that the trophy in the photograph came from a Constantinian reconstruction, not that there were two pieces of evidence.

[Nathan Ross]

this is rather ambiguous.

Actually I was already quite confused by this sculpture! Is it believed to be a third century piece reused in the reconstruction of the city of Civitas Tropaensium by Constantine and/or Licinius, or a fourth century copy of a third century piece, or a third or fourth century copy of the original trophy on the top of the Trajanic monument?

[Renatus]

Actually I was already quite confused by this sculpture! Is it believed to be a third century piece reused in the reconstruction of the city of Civitas Tropaensium by Constantine and/or Licinius, or a fourth century copy of a third century piece, or a third or fourth century copy of the original trophy on the top of the Trajanic monument?

I glanced at D'Amato's book in Waterstones this afternoon and, as far as I remember, it says something about the sculpture being "retrospective", which could mean that it is third century piece re-used or a fourth century copy of a third century original. My initial thought was that it was the latter but now I'm not so sure. And why use it as a model for a centurion anyway?

[Martin Moser]

It's from this in the Archaeological Museum of Tropaeum Traiani at Adamclisi and, I believe, from a Constantinian reconstruction dated to 316. Not entirely fanciful, after all, but still no authority for the arm guard.
http://istoriesinumismatica.files.wordpr...c05779.jpg

Hah! It does indeed look like a Katzbalger hilt. Live and learn!

[Nathan Ross]

Live and learn!

Ah yes, it does indeed have a double eagle hilt... Well spotted! mile: