I live near Aquileia, I hope most of you will know the city. Apparently archaeological works done during the the "60 found a Imperial Gallic type E, just search "Nota sugli elmi romani di Aquileia" by Claudio Maddaleni, it has been dated to 68/69 since the armies of Otho, Vitellius and then Vespasianus battled in Bedriacum, it's possibile that one of the many legionaries stationed here just "lost" his helmet.
So... I'd like to reconstruct the equipment of a legionary around this time: 3rd quarter of the 1st century but I just need some healthy discussion about my ideas, I've done a few researches but I still can't made up an idea about some topic.
Starting from the helmet, ideally I would have someone to do the helmet from Aquileia, does anyone know "Helgi's True History Shop"? He seems to be quite good at doing Roman helmets and armour, I might get in contact with him. But eventually, if he doesn't, he does indeed Imperial Gallic type B, type C and type J, I really like the first two altought they might be a bit too old fashioned by the time I've choosen, but wouldn't they? Type J could possibly be a good altought I believe the sloped eyebrows could possibly be a method to keep Dacian falx rather distant from the face.
Another topic I'd like to discuss is armour, basically we, let's be honest, all like segmentata even if probably it wasn't really that much widespread. By since anyway it's perfectly correct to wear one, I'm going for it. Kalkriese is surely quite old fashion by the time I'm aiming to, Corbridge would be a better option: what about type A and type B, I still can't made up an idea about a chronological order between the two, neither can some old dated published works. But I think that both of them could be an ideal armour to wear: I'm going for the "simplified" type B.
Now, let's start talking about gladius and pugios. As a terminus ante/post quem I think probably both Mainz and Pompei type gladius could be a good option, I'm going for Del Tin one since I live relatively near him and they make some really good arms, even if probably the Mainz would become to be a bit dated and old fashioned. Personally I find the Mainz gladius aestheticallymore pleasing. Pugio are somewhat difficolt to classify and anyway, to own of them truly well made would be a bit "pricy" at most, Del Tin is able to sell me a mid rib blade with plain tinned type A sheath. Plain sheath probably weren't that common, but could they be correct anyway?
The last question is about the balteus/cingulum militaris. Since I prefer to have quality over quantity, one good balteus is better than two not-so-good baltei. I understand that early and not so early too the roman legionary would have wore two belts: one set for the sword and the other for the pugio and somewhere and somehow during the 2nd half of the first century they started to wear their sword on a baldric and just one set of belt for the pugio. Altought the Herculaneum soldier wore his sword on his belt and not on a baldric.Then, why lot of reenactor do just wear one set and a baldric even when they apparently try to do the early principate? Would I be correct if I wore my sword on a baldric and just one set of belt? I understand I would be correct, but again published studies sometimes are inconsistent even inside their own (see Roman military clothing (1) by Sumner), there's an Augustean age legionary with baldric and single belt apparently from the German's campaigns.
I hope I expressed myself and that you can understand my various and numerous questions. Have a nice "quarantined" day!
Edit: the Russian armourer will make me a replica of Aquileia's Imperial Gallic helmet. An exact replica of the helmet.
By the way: I've got Robinson's The armour of Imperial Rome; some have written that the helmet is a type E, some a type G, in my opinion it looks more to Mainz's type D. Even at the University I dislike typologies.
Corbridge type A and type B are somewhat contemporary, type B maybe a slightly later simplified, cheaper but overall better than the former one. I'm going for type B.
I guess for the 3rd quarter of the 1st century a single balteus militaris and a sword baldric would be a better choice, with probably a short-ish apron or maybe a longer one wrapped on a belt at least once. Apron plates shouldn't be enamaled as such a decoration became fashionable during the Trajanic period or even later than that.
As the sword probably the Mainz's would be that much obsolete and old fashioned, a few years later it would become so.
I haven't made up an idea on the pugio yet, still have to do some research.
it's again me! I'm starting to kind of, liking, answering to myself, looks like I got a personal journal here.
I did some researches, reading again and again, and I come to the following conclusions:
- definitely no weighted pilum, it is later. It makes it first appearance in the Cancelleria relief which is dated to Emperor Domitian, so it's very late 1st century. A better option would be a classic Oberaden type pilum. Source: M.C. Bishop, The Pilum the roman heavy javelin 2017, pp. 18-20.
- Pompei gladius miight be chronologically a better option. Mainz found some later use even into the third quarter (there have been one in Pompei), but Pompei was definitely more common. Source: M.C. Bishop, The Gladius 2016, p. 16, pp. 18-25.
- Lorica segmentata Corbridge type A fits better chronologically. The late dating of the Corbridge find and the new pattern from Newstead suggest that the hook connected type B is probably a modification of the former made in the last quarter. So, again type A is better. Source: H.R. Robinson, The armour of Imperial Rome 1975, p. 180.
- Single balteus is surely fine. The problem is baldric or belt? Where do I suspend my gladius? Both seems fine. Source: M.C. Bishop, The early imperial apron 1992, pp. 87-88 fig. 23; p. 91 fig. 41.
Hi Titvs to answer some of your points First helmet your choice is fine however up until this point basically 66-75 AD the civil war that ensured some units had not seen much action also a high number of long term legionarys wearing old style kit with regional varations. This alone is a topic in its self .
Armour again any one of the corbridge A,B can be used along with mail and scale.
Sword again Mainz, Fullum,Pompeii again all used.
Helmet coollus, gallic and italic, and montefortino still being used as well but more like one of the first 3.
Cingulvm a single belt with apron. With a pugio plain or decorated.
Some of your other points, the eyebrows on helmets nothing to do with the Falx, started with the agen/port 1st BC and actually strengthens the dome. But still will not stop a falx blow.
Pilvm you are right no weight, but I disagree with any extra weight added, totally unnecessary. Lead or wood ball is right at the sweet point of throwing, having made a few as well as handling one of these weighted pila you can tell throwen from behind the weight you would get no distance.
Hope this has answered some of your points and good luck. If anyone else can add please post
Regards Brennivs
Woe Ye The Vanquished
Brennvs 390 BC
When you have all this why do you envy our mud huts
Caratacvs
Centvrio Princeps Brennivs COH I Dacorivm (Roma Antiqvia)
Yes, I do know older equipment will always be recycled, even in our own time (without posting some rather obsure Syrian militia with STG44, we can see the US military and other nations revaluating the old M14 as a marksman's rifle), but we all want to be a bit bling bling so I've choosen the rather over present Corbridge type A (I'd like even more the squamata, it adds such an "exotic" flavour, but a good squamata is rather pricy unfortunatly).
In the meantime I come up with some more questions about subarmalis and helmet padding. This are actually questions which I believe noone can give a definitive answer. I did some medieval and 17th century reenactment, while with medieval I wasn't wearing armour at all and definitely needed a padded garment, during the 17th century a didn't needed any at all, I just wore the armour with the regular doublet, my impressions was actually more late 16th/early 17th century (since I live near Venice, this was the time of our small "pike and shot" type war) and the doublet was a bit padded itself, do I really need a subarmalis even with a Segmentata? Couldn't two tunicae work as well? Padded helmet is obviously a necessity and I've choosen the Didymoi type hat, it protects ears too while not imparing hearing.
Titvs basically the world is your oyster for this time scale for equipment, my own equipment I have a Egyptian ( North Africa, middle east and the bosphrous area ) influence since I served there for a good while before being posted to Sunny ? Brittania while coming from Dacia. My peroid is 130s AD.
Your submalis again its a choice with a Lorica padded or just a undergarment heavy linen/leather, I would suggest padding on the upper part shoulder area or there is some evidence to padding directly bonded to the lorica.
Helmet liner one of the best I have seen is thick felt bonded to the helmet but also use the arming cap as well to keep your hair in place I have put a leather harness in my own which works for myself. God luck with your choices and post progress
Regards Brennivs
Woe Ye The Vanquished
Brennvs 390 BC
When you have all this why do you envy our mud huts
Caratacvs
Centvrio Princeps Brennivs COH I Dacorivm (Roma Antiqvia)
First helmet your choice is fine however up until this point basically 66-75 AD the civil war that ensured some units had not seen much action also a high number of long term legionarys wearing old style kit with regional varations. This alone is a topic in its self 
.
while coming from Dacia. My peroid is 130s AD. 
