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Chris Dobson

Master Armourer

Roman arms and armour, from the 3rd Century BC to the 1st Century AD (1989-97).

This section covers a whole series of pieces made for museum or living history use. Roman arms and armour were made in large quantities, orginally in Italy, and then as the Empire expanded, in fabricae in other countries. The great genius of the Romans was to adopt, and then adapt for their own use, the arms and armour of their enemies: the warriors of early Rome (Latium) looked like Greeks, but as the Republic expanded, swords and daggers were adopted from Spain, and helmets, shields, mail and heavy javelins from the Celts. By the time of the Empire, the image of the Roman legionary that everyone knows had eveolved: 'Gallic' style helmets, segmented body armour, short gladius and rectangulr shield, and two pila (javelins) for throwing.

Many fine original pieces have survived to the present, but lots of the mass-produced arms were of very poor quality. This is no surprise when considering the vast size of the Imperial Roman army.

Roman infantry helmets developed from Greek models, their styles adapted by the local Italian tribes. Distinctly Italian types emerged with short neck guards and hinged cheekpieces (sometimes of hardened leather), made of bronze (although we now know much military equipment was also of brass): the 'Montefortino' and 'Coolus' types, which were worn by the Republican Legions. As the Romans expanded north, they adopted iron and steel Celtic models, embellished with bronze and brass decoration, and reinforcing bars around the brow to protect the wearer from the slashing blows of the long Celtic swords: thus the classic 'Imperial Gallic' type was born.

Photos below from left to right: 1: A reconstruction of a Montefortino type 'B',based on a skull in the Stibbert Museum, Florence, late 3rd to 2nd Century BC (1990). 2 - 4: A reconstruction of an Imperial Gallic 'G', 3rd quarter of the 1st Century AD, based on fragments from Colchester and Rheingönheim (1990).

The 'Coolus' type also carried a reinforcing bar around the brow, and continued to be worn by legionaries into the Imperial period, alongside the 'Imperial Gallic' type, while simpler helmets were developed for the tribesmen employed to fight alongside the legions as auxiliaries.

Photos below from left to right: 1: A reconstruction of a Coolus type 'G', based on a skull from the Waal at Nigmegen and a cheek piece from Hod Hill, third quarter of the 1st Century AD (1991). 2 - 3: A reconstruction of an Imperial Gallic 'H', 3rd quarter of the 1st Century AD, based on fragments from Colchester and Augsburg (1995). 4: A copy of the Auxiliary 'B' from Mainz, 2nd half of the 1st Century AD (1987).

Of all the Imperial Gallic Helmets and fragments to survive, only one example is of bronze/brass, and it is simple but very elegant. It comes from the Rhine at Mainz, and from the inscription on the neckguard, we can tell that it was the property of a Century Commander of the the Legio I Adiutrix.

Photos below from left to right: 1 -2: Different views of a reconstruction of an Imperial Gallic 'I', AD 80-100, based on fragments from Mainz and Caerleon (1995). 3: A Corbridge 'A' lorica segmentata made for a diorama in Colchesters Castle Museum, third quarter of the 1st century AD (1991). 4: Another Corbridge 'A' segmentata (1992).

This page is in the course of reconstruction today (1st August), so more photos will be posted very soon. CD