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Can anyone point me in the right direction to find out how various helmets were held securely to the head.
I've seen many depictions of original helmets but obviously the straps never survive,I would imagine the remaining rivets and tie rings would give good information but have been unable to find this information easily.
I have a reproduction brass secutor/myrmillo(Ithink) helmet on which the visor is held at the top by pins through the brim,on this helmet however nothing secures it anywhere else leaving the faceplate to swing from these pins.
If I can find the information I will finish the helmet,which though used for display I'd like to have in a wearable condition.
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Yep, that's a Myrmillo, but most of them have a square-topped crest in the back, and less angle. Looks like they're aiming for a Thracian look, but without the griffon terminal. From what I've seen, there are many variations of helmets, maybe a whim of the lanista, maybe a change of style over the 700 years of gladiator combat, who knows? Maybe just because.
About chin strap, we have the same question. One of our group bought the Museum Replicas Bronze myrmillo, which looks a lot like yours in a general sense, but more coppery, of course.
[url:120lcoqh]http://www.museumreplicas.com/WebStore/SearchResults.aspx?SearchCriteria=gladiator[/url]
He plans to put two feather tubes on the sides, and hang a chinstrap on the inside from the rivet that holds the tubes on the outside. We talked about whether a buckle or tie would be better, and decided on the tie, using soft leather, more or less like the way a legionary helmet is often tied under the chin.
You definitely need something, though, no doubt about that. Those babes are heavy on the head, and you could not fight without a strap of some kind.
M. Demetrius Abicio
(David Wills)
Saepe veritas est dura.
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I notice on some of the originals there is a plate underneath the brim to which the visor may attach,but I cant find any clear images of this.
Most of these originals seem to have three rivets on the side of the skull,presumably to attach some form of fixing on the inside.
Anyone know any more about these?,Ideally what I'd be looking for is an archaeological line drawing done for museum collections.
Also,is there any speculation about the chains attaching across the brow?,just to make a noise or some other function?
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None of the originals had chains on them. That one seems to be based mainly on the murmillo helm in the British Museum. I've seen it up close and there are no chains.
Pecunia non olet
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For safety purposes, I would recommend a chinstrap rather than leather thong, for several reasons:
First, we don't know for certain what the real helmets had, so accuracy's ambiguous. Not that the Romans didn't know how to make a buckle and a strap, they're all over a segmentata... Regardless, no one will see it unless they take your helmet and turn it upside down.
Secondly, leather thong is fine for a legionary helmet, since it ties just below the chin, rather than further back, which would provide much better support, a la WWII German helmet. Looks period, and not many head shots as a legionary [reenact]. Quite a few as a gladiator, most unintentional.
When I attended the Collegium Gladiatorium in Hungary last summer, I noticed they all used chinstraps... also that they fight full contact on occasion (with rudii in that case), and that blows to the head are inevitable. Personally, I use pressed wool felt (available from McMaster Carr) to line mine, and do so until the fit is extremely snug. So that's another option.
Good luck,
Jim / Valerius
