Roman Helmets evolved over time from the Corinthian-style Helmets worn during the times of ancient Greece. They were also heavily influenced by the style of helmet worn by the Etruscans, who lived in what is now Italy, as well as the Gaul’s. Chainmail was introduced to the Roman military from Gual.. Roman Helmets were not designed to provide the same degree of facial protection as the early Greek Helmets that were worn in the 8th and 7th centuries BC, as their extensive protection of cheek bones, noses and foreheads led problems for soldiers with seeing and hearing during battle.
Instead, Roman Helmets were designed to provide a significant form of protection for the top and sides of the head as well as the back of the neck, in addition to serving as identification on the battle field. In fact, one of the most distinctive features of Roman Helmets is their crests. On top of the helmets were elaborate, horsehair plumes that made up the crest. Selected historical works support the theory that centurions (who commanded more than one hundred troops) carried Roman Helmet crests lengthwise, but legionnaires (soldiers on foot) bore their crests lengthwise.
Another point of differentiation for Roman Helmets was the color of the crests that various levels of the military wore. They wore up to two or three different colors of plume, including red and white. Since the vast majority of battle in the days of Roman soldiers was hand to hand combat, senior leaders of centurions and legionnaires wore crests of a different color than common soldiers in order to ensure their visibility. While the overall style of the Roman Helmet was consistent, since everyone was crafted by hand, there was a degree of variation in style. The helmets worn by legionnaires would have been simpler in nature, with a soldier etching their name or mark into the inside of it. Centurions wore far more ornate helmets, which would have been flush with fine finish work and detail.
No comments:
Post a Comment