Christies Late Roman helmet: 1 or 2?

[Nathan Ross]

argument for the opponents of an early dating of the Deir helmet is that 'helmets do not remain the same over such a long period' - which I think is impossible to prove.

Yes, quite. There's so much about the generally accepted chronology of Roman military equipment development that rests on assumption; that the Deir can be dated either to the late 3rd or (by some!) to the 6th century is a case in point.

I confess that I didn't quite follow Dr Miks's points about the Deir - it was at a conference and I was getting very drowsy by that point! - but he did suggest a connection with the recent helmet finds from Novae, as I recall. I think the jury remains quite undecided...