Gladiator The Movie Helmets

[Titus Publius Saturninus]

Ave!

Can anyone here identify what style Helmets were worn by the infantry in the opening battle scene of " Gladiator"? Very plain and lack embellishment. No brow reinforce and a rather deepish radical neck gaurd. Seemed to have little or no steps as well. Haven't seen one quite like these in any of the galleries. Many thanks.

Cheers,

Titus

[Virilis]

The helmets from the gladiator opening scene are pure imagination, no such helmets have ever been found! In reality in about 180 AD there propably would have been Auxiliary E, Buch, Niederbieber & -mörmter etc helmets. The helmets from Gladiator opening scene seem to be some strange hybrids of Trajans column, gallic and auxiliary E helmets?

[Caballo]

And having worn one for an Tetleys beer advertisement, the browguard seems to have been put on upside down, giving a strange jockey cap appearance. Made of rubberised plastic too.

All in all, I'd look for other models for authenticity.... :wink:

[Chuck Russell]

Tetleys beer ???? here in the usa they make Tea hehe

[Uwe Bahr]

Avete omnes,

I assist Your opinions and am also regretting that there has been so much superfluous invention of Roman armor in the movie - but only to complete the question: the so-called Portonaccio sarcophagus dates from the time of the movie. And is the only source, IIRC, that shows a helmet that has at least little resemblance with the helmets of the movie. I think it is the only depiction that shows a Roman helmet with such a deep lying peak reinforcement:

[url:2cmisi10]http://faculty.maxwell.syr.edu/gaddis/HST210/Dec2/Default.htm[/url]
(scroll down)

Greets - Uwe

[Virilis]

Yes Uwe, I remembered wrongly that this relief was from Trajans column, I had the picture "in my mind" when I wrote my reply ...This has propably influenced some people behind the "Gladiator" movie!

[Martin Wallgren]

Avete omnes,

I assist Your opinions and am also regretting that there has been so much superfluous invention of Roman armor in the movie - but only to complete the question: the so-called Portonaccio sarcophagus dates from the time of the movie. And is the only source, IIRC, that shows a helmet that has at least little resemblance with the helmets of the movie. I think it is the only depiction that shows a Roman helmet with such a deep lying peak reinforcement:

[url:l0yxg2nc]http://faculty.maxwell.syr.edu/gaddis/HST210/Dec2/Default.htm[/url]
(scroll down)

Greets - Uwe

Looks a bit like a monteferino put on backwards... :lol: :lol:

[Virilis]

Looks a bit like a monteferino put on backwards...

Yes, you are right Martin wink: !

[AntonivsMarivsCongianocvs]

Gladiator was such a great movie and so historically inaccurate it had my head spinning! :?

It’s like the movie Tory… as long as I could get away from all the conflicts and inaccuracies between the Iliad and the movie… I was able to really enjoy it.

[Titus Publius Saturninus]

But could it not be that the single central warrior in the sculpture is wearing a helmet NOT neccessarily representaive of the whole? Conjecture time which usually starts a spiral downward circle jerk without valid historical data.

One of the worst cinema faux pas was a scene from Ben Hur (1950s) The praetorian gaurd, I believe, marched into the town and their rubber pilum must have been really really rubbery as the shafts wobbled all over the place as they marched.

The one bit that has been consistently incorrect in most epics is the save arse sign given by the emporer on behalf of a defeated gladitor. Apparently the thumb was tucked into the palm and not thrust upward was we usually see. The other really bad boner was EL CID (Charleton Heston) another 50's flick. In the same set of frames there is a dude whom I guess forgot to take his wrist watch off before the next shoot and the guy next to him with his Ray Bans still on. The final Scene in which the proped up corpse of Rodrego Diaz rode away into legend was spoofed with the very obvious shadow of an overhead helicopter. The Editor must have been goof balling it that day.

I guess what it comes down to is the impact made down at the box office. A production then meets it's purpose for the film makers and the GP.

Many for your much valued input.

[Tarbicus]

Can anyone here identify what style Helmets were worn by the infantry in the opening battle scene of " Gladiator"? Very plain and lack embellishment. No brow reinforce and a rather deepish radical neck gaurd. Seemed to have little or no steps as well. Haven't seen one quite like these in any of the galleries. Many thanks.

English Civil War.

:wink:

[Graham Sumner]

Some Viking, Persian and other helmets appear in 'Gladiator',which would not be out of place in 'Lord of the Rings'. Those latter films have a lot to answer for as witness the 'historically accurate' Persian costumes in '300', the Viking costumes in 'The Pathfinder' and the latest 18th century costume worn by KK in the next 'Pirates' episode!

Simon Atherton, the armourer on 'Gladiator' is quoted as saying he could not find much evidence for armour of that period! Nevertheless they still came up with the helmet used by the Praetorians based on one from Germany, (cue Tarbicus to supply a picture).

This follows in the tradition of 'The Fall of the Roman Empire' which had helmets used by the guards based on two examples from Heddernheim. These helmets unlike those in 'Gladiator' were actually made in Tunisia from copper as I have seen some survivors. The basic infantry helmet in this film was a sort of Italic or Gallic type not like those described as English Civil War types by Jim.

Bearing in mind they are sometimes thrown at people it is not unusual to have rubber tipped spears in films. Other bendy examples can be seen in 'King of Kings'. However the reason why they are in rubber can clearly be seen in '300 Spartans' when a Persian immortal catches one full in the face! Also hand a sword or a spear to a member of the public (ie extras) and they immediately want to swing them around! Which is why such practices are frowned upon these days.

A wristwatch is famously supposed to be visible in 'The Viking Queen'. The film is about Boudicca so already with the title things have gone seriously wrong. I suppose Vikings are more bankable than Celts! I have seen the film several times which is sad in itself but I have never ever seen the wristwatch, nor a helicopter shadow in El Cid or the Tyre tracks in the circus in Ben-Hur. I guess it is even sadder to go through a film frame by frame to find these things rather than just enjoy them for what they are..

Graham.

[Martin Wallgren]

I heard a rumor that a few of the barbarians in Gladiatior is sporting jeans but I haven´t been able to find it!

[Graham Sumner]

I heard a rumor that a few of the barbarians in Gladiatior is sporting jeans but I haven´t been able to find it!

_________________
As RATs Dan Shadrake was one of the Barbarians perhaps he can answer that. Jeans are visible beneath the cloak worn by Tony Curtis in 'Spartacus' when they meet Tigranes the pirate!
Graham.

[Gaivs Antonivs Satvrninvs]

O.K. now I guess my homework is set for a while. Since I have 300 Spartans, El Cid, Ben Hur and Spartacus I'll have a look and see if I can spot these "bloopers" you mentioned. Should be a lot of fun. Even if I don't find them the movies are quite enjoyable.