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Auxillaries wearing animal skin covered helmets- help needed
#1
Hi,

In this (poor quality) plate from Trajan's Column, the auxiliaries in the top left corner appear to be wearing animal skin covers on their helmets. There is also one who looks as if he is wearing an early spangenhelm!
Does anyone have a higher resolution photo so that we can see more detail?

Cheers

Caballo
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/ ... rajanC.jpg
[Image: wip2_r1_c1-1-1.jpg] [Image: Comitatuslogo3.jpg]


aka Paul B, moderator
http://www.romanarmy.net/auxilia.htm
Moderation in all things
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#2
Hi Paul

The scene has been discussed and the figures dismissed as an artistic error along with other anomalies such as the auxiliary with a rectangular shield or legionaries with oval shields etc.... by Coulston
in 'The value of Trajan's Column as a source for military equipment'. Coulston points out that in at least one case the artists put the mail effect on lorica segmentata!

Graham.
"Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream" Edgar Allan Poe.

"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.

"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
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#3
Quote:by Coulston in 'The value of Trajan's Column as a source for military equipment'.

Now that sounds like an interesting read, and a rather important one. Where can I get ROMEC 1989? Anyone know?
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
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#4
Peronis is the one to get stuck in here, but in light of his helmet, and now clear sculptural representation, could it be that a verbal description was given to the sculptors who then interpreted it as full animal skins, their usual reference being signifers and cornicens? Occam's Razor says so to me.
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
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#5
Graham wrote..
Quote:The scene has been discussed and the figures dismissed as an artistic error along with other anomalies such as the auxiliary with a rectangular shield or legionaries with oval shields etc.... by Coulston
in 'The value of Trajan's Column as a source for military equipment'. Coulston points out that in at least one case the artists put the mail effect on lorica segmentata!


I agree with Jim here. We have evidence in the form of the Krefeld-Gellep cut-down helmet being covered with marten fur, and at least two more examples of cavalry helmets (Nijmegen and Xanten) which had a fur/hair covering. All attributed to probable Batavian ownership/usage.

Tacitus, in 'The Germania' tells us that the Germanic peoples were fond of their fur cloaks and trousers. And in "the Histories" II.88 there is mention of fur cloaks.

"Here you are Mr. Sculptor, here's the plan, and by the way, you do know about the fur covered helmets of some of the barbarian soldiers don't you?"

I can't comment on the scene containing the mail effect on the seg as I haven't seen it, but all of the other points Coulston calls upon can be explained.

An auxiliary with a rectangular shield could be a legionary centurion, transferred to an auxiliary cohort command.

Legionaries with oval shields are seen on grave stele, and later, appear in great numbers on the column of Marcus Aurelius.
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#6
In closer detail...
[Image: TC_caballo_auxilia2.jpg]
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#7
Thanks for posting the close-up, Peronis.

Looking at the figures on Trajan's Column vs the helmets that Peronis metions above, there are a number of parallels:-
a/ No cheekguards
b/ Animal skin covers (surviving in one example)
c/ No neckguards

The helmet design without animal skin is particularly clear with the guy to the right of the line/ crack on TC. The chinstrap is very clear here too- plus no neckguard/ cheekguard. Also slightly reminiscient of a charioteers helmet- with the chinstrap looking extremely modern and dividing over the ears.

It also reminds me of a Celtic helmet in Zurich which still had its chinstrap remaining (see link below)


What would have been the practical purpose? It would be lighter than a normal helmet, and give better all round vision and hearing. The animal skin covering (as in Peronis' reconstruction using pinemarten rather than on Trajans Column) would also break up the silhouette and would prevent the sun (or moon) glinting off bare metal (rather like modern camoflage). It would also give it some protection vs water/ rust (remembering the amphibious Batavian operations). The chinstrap would keep it firmly on the head during operations.

To me, this points to a classic light infantry helmet designed for skirmish operations. As a parallel, see this modern helmet http://www.army-technology.com/contract ... atroop.jpg

There is therefore archeological evidence; sculptural evidence; a practical justification; and a written reference to the German peoples wearing furs.

I'd rate that as a strong case?

Cheers

Caballo
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/ ... museum.jpg
[Image: wip2_r1_c1-1-1.jpg] [Image: Comitatuslogo3.jpg]


aka Paul B, moderator
http://www.romanarmy.net/auxilia.htm
Moderation in all things
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#8
Looks like an illustration of famous auxiliary types:

A: Batavian auxiliaries...
B: Germanic club warriors...
C: Gallic cavalry...

[url:3j3x2zfs]http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i311/tarbicus/TrajanC_lineup.jpg[/url]

:?
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
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#9
Tarbicus,
Interesting thought! And the Victorians did exactly the same, with a real fascination for the exotic (and highly effective) auxillary troops.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/ ... qqqill.jpg
[Image: wip2_r1_c1-1-1.jpg] [Image: Comitatuslogo3.jpg]


aka Paul B, moderator
http://www.romanarmy.net/auxilia.htm
Moderation in all things
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#10
Looking closely at the TC picture, it also appears that the men wearing the skin covered helmets are depicted with beards (a la Germanic clubman) whereas the soldiers without fur (as most of the other auxiliaries appear on the Column) have no beards.

Tacitus again...

In the Germania he describes the Batavi.. "Their young men cut neither hair nor beard till they had slain an enemy. On the field of battle, in the midst of carnage and plunder, they, for the first time, bared their faces. The cowardly and sluggish only, remained unshorn".
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#11
Those Batavians were nutcases. I can't imagine why anyone would want to depict them?....


:wink:
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
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#12
Quote:Those Batavians were nutcases. I can't imagine why anyone would want to depict them?....


:wink:

Exactly for this reason! "Exotic" or "wild" troops fachinated people.

Also auxilia who might perfom raids and scouting might chose to wear animal skins even "unofficialy"

Kind regards
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#13
In Polybius' days the velites wore animal skins over simple helmets. According to Vegetius the antesignani did the same, like the signiferi.
Perhaps these men were intended to represent antesignani?
drsrob a.k.a. Rob Wolters
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#14
Quote:Perhaps these men were intended to represent antesignani?
I guess part of the answer to that could be whether you believe the group under discussion are legionaries or auxilia? However, one detail that may say something - note how the lead one has his arm through a strap to keep his shield in place, just like the two German clubmen in front of him.

A bit more info: The scene is part of two panels on the Column - Spiral 5 (Panel D), and Spiral 6 (Panel A).
TARBICvS/Jim Bowers
A A A DESEDO DESEDO!
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#15
Quote:
Quote:Perhaps these men were intended to represent antesignani?
I guess part of the answer to that could be whether you believe the group under discussion are legionaries or auxilia? However, one detail that may say something - note how the lead one has his arm through a strap to keep his shield in place, just like the two German clubmen in front of him.

A bit more info: The scene is part of two panels on the Column - Spiral 5 (Panel D), and Spiral 6 (Panel A).
Well, the shield patterns seam to be auxiliary, so if these men were intended to represent antesignani, that doesn't say much about the level of accuracy of the column.
drsrob a.k.a. Rob Wolters
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