Helmets for Standard Bearers

[derek forrest]

All the Guard principales use standard Imp Gallic with neckguards. This causes them to pull badly on the back of the headwhen worn with skins. Has any other group used non neck guard helmets or even surgically altered the helmet? I know one group decapitated the skin <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

We (leg 2 Aug) have been doing this for quite a few years, again for practical reasons as much as anything else.<br>
Although i have seen a couple of very early imp-gallic helms which do exhibit very small neckuards, (likely as not a legacy of their Agen/Port precursors)<br>
<br>
This touches on an interesting side issue, which may or may not have been covered before. When we see standard bearers on Stelae etc. we usually see something which appears close to cavalry sports helmets, incoporated with animal skins. The question is would these helmet/skin combinations have been used in combat or on campaign, as opposed to just on the parade ground. Both the Mainz tropaeum and Adamklisi metopes (both being unusual for being constructed by frontier troops to depict campaign situations) show standard bearers without skins, but cloaks.<br>
<br>
Lyndsey. <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

In our group we use masked helmets. Ribchester and the like. They have small neck guards and do not pull back due to the weight of the bear pelt.<br>
<br>
Why not adapt a helmet by cutting back the neckguard?<br>
If it is a problem now, you can be sure it was a problem then too!<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
<br>
Peronis <p></p><i></i>

[Crispvs]

If I am not mistaken the stelae referred to above are those of Gaius Valerius Secundus and Quintus Luccius Faustus, both of Leg XIIII GMV from Mainz. It has often been pointed out that one of these stones is likely to have been copied from the other and the rendering of the thing visible over the right shoulder has not survived the copying process very well. That said, neither stone is in a good enough condition (if it ever was) to demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt precisely what the thing on the shoulder is, although a masked helmet within the head of the animal skin is a strong possibility. This is why I rarely make special mention to the public of the masked helmets that Peronis mentioned above, but also why I do not jump up and down and rant about making assumptions at my good friend and comiles the signifer, who actually finds hot days in the masked helmet and bearskin an unpleasant experience and tends to get a bit hot and bothered (with some justification).<br>
<br>
Crispvs <p></p><i></i>

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

SALVE<br>
<br>
Derek:<br>
<br>
Now i'm aquilifer from LEGIO VII GEMINA and i have the same problem. A little trick is to take off some of the weigth of the skin by cording some leather tongs to the cingulum, and perhaps to the shoulders.<br>
<br>
I know is very hard to wear that skin, specially in a hot climate like the Spanish one.<br>
<br>
The idea to cut the neckguards is not documented, but sure it works. Another solution is to use another kind of helmets than gallics (imperial itallic A, "sports cavalry", etc). Depeeka have a new "sports cavalry" that could be a good chance: www.armae.com/Photos/helm...HL110.jpg.<br>
It have a very short neckguard. Its a very close copy of a real one in a private collection.<br>
<br>
VALE<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Tasciavanous]

I was given to believe that at least one "face visor" had been found at the tutoburg (sorry not sure of the spelling off hand) forest and as such the cavalry sports helm theory has been mostly accepted? conversely I don't know of any representations of Aquilifers wearing helmets at all. <p></p><i></i>