\'Crown of thorns\' helmet?

[Nathan Ross]

Another bizarre cavalry helmet - an image from from the Exploratio site:

(site asks not to link direct to images so here are some 'directions'!)

[url:11oomqaw]http://exploratio.org/image_database/exploratio.htm[/url] - left sidebar, go to 'Helmets 1' and it's about halfway down...

Can anyone explain what's going on with that crest? It looks rather like a Christian crown of thorns... :?

[Carlton Bach]

Interesting.

Could that be this particular artist's interpretation of one of the coronae? The 'spikes' look a little like leaves.

[Lvcivs Commodvs Cicero]

It would most likely not be a crown of thorns due to the fact that the state religious views did not change to tolerate Chritianity until the Late Empire. The first edict by Galerivs is from around 311.

With that in mind I would interpret it as a diadem of stars with the emperor at the center of these.

Carlton I would say not a laurel as they "leaves" don't appear in the manner of a laurel

[Nathan Ross]

Owain -

The status of Christianity during the earlier Roman period was one of the reasons that this piece looked so surprising. That said, official policy towards Christians was not all that uniform - there was no empire-wide persecution effort until Decius, and they were tolerated under Gallienus. That there were significant numbers of Christians in the army by the late 3rd century is attested by Diocletian's efforts to get rid of them by a sacrifice-or-dismissal policy. Even so, such a bold declaration of religious affiliation prior to 313AD would be unwise to say the least. hock:

I don't really think it's a 'crown of thorns' myself - I just couldnt' work out what else it was supposed to be. Stars perhaps - but it would make more sense to model them sideways and 'star-shaped'. A wreath of leaves? Maybe... I'm not sure about the other coronae, but perhaps some variant of the corona muralis that involved assaults on stockades of the 'zariba' variety ... But I'd be surprised if nobody had come up with a more conclusive answer. Surely one of those weighty German studies of Roman armour would have had something to say about it?

[drsrob]

This helmet is also in Robinson, The Armour of Imperial Rome, p. 98, plate 269-271. The crown of thorns is in reality a wreath of oak en laurel leaves; each 'thorn' consisting of an oak leaf flanked by two laurel leaves.

[Tarbicus]

it would make more sense to model them sideways and 'star-shaped'

But they do look quite intimidating as they are, which may have been the point (excuse unintended pun).

Jim/Tarbicus

[Antonius Lucretius]

It is probably a dona, or decoration, won by the helmet's owner, and probably a Corona Civica, awarded to a soldier who preserved the life of a Roman citizen in battle, slew his opponent, and maintained the ground on which the action took place. It was made of oak leaves and acorns.

[venicone]

Another bizarre cavalry helmet - an image from from the Exploratio site:

(site asks not to link direct to images so here are some 'directions'!)

[url:2d5q1ikp]http://exploratio.org/image_database/exploratio.htm[/url] - left sidebar, go to 'Helmets 1' and it's about halfway down...

Can anyone explain what's going on with that crest? It looks rather like a Christian crown of thorns... :?

I dont have a problem with you linking on this site - here tis



Rijksmuseum van Oudheden , Leiden