06-01-2004, 08:01 PM
Hi,<br>
<br>
The image comes from the online museum of Cirencester at www.cotswold.gov.uk/museu...umber=B956<br>
Unfortunately the museum itself is being refurbished, but the online image collection is pretty good. The description reads "Limestone tombstone, inscribed in latin and showing a cavalryman riding and raising a lance over his fallen enemy. He carries a hexagonal shield on his left arm and bears a staff and decorated standard, which is not of any recognisable type. The enemy is lying prostrate and is shown naked in contrast to the soldier's splendid armour. The tombstone would probably have been painted. The soldier has stylised hair and a strip of embossed decoration below his chin suggests that he is perhaps wearing a face visor (used in parades). He wears a combined breastplate and shoulder strips to which is attached a large Medusa head. His sword has a decorated pommel and is suspended high. There is also possible decoration on the scabbard. The horse's hoof seems to rest on the pommel of the barbarian's sword, which points downwards into the ground. The barbarian is lying on his shield. The harness is well delineated and is decorated with round discs from which fringed strips hang. There are circular mounts on the head pieces and the saddle cloth has a fringed border." I noticed a small b&w photo in Die Reiter Roms by Junkelmann and realised that I'd never seen a repro of this tombstone, googled a bit, and voila! To my knowledge, the only existing Roman statue that definitively shows a cavalryman in battle, in a "parade" helmet!<br>
<p></p><i></i>
<br>
The image comes from the online museum of Cirencester at www.cotswold.gov.uk/museu...umber=B956<br>
Unfortunately the museum itself is being refurbished, but the online image collection is pretty good. The description reads "Limestone tombstone, inscribed in latin and showing a cavalryman riding and raising a lance over his fallen enemy. He carries a hexagonal shield on his left arm and bears a staff and decorated standard, which is not of any recognisable type. The enemy is lying prostrate and is shown naked in contrast to the soldier's splendid armour. The tombstone would probably have been painted. The soldier has stylised hair and a strip of embossed decoration below his chin suggests that he is perhaps wearing a face visor (used in parades). He wears a combined breastplate and shoulder strips to which is attached a large Medusa head. His sword has a decorated pommel and is suspended high. There is also possible decoration on the scabbard. The horse's hoof seems to rest on the pommel of the barbarian's sword, which points downwards into the ground. The barbarian is lying on his shield. The harness is well delineated and is decorated with round discs from which fringed strips hang. There are circular mounts on the head pieces and the saddle cloth has a fringed border." I noticed a small b&w photo in Die Reiter Roms by Junkelmann and realised that I'd never seen a repro of this tombstone, googled a bit, and voila! To my knowledge, the only existing Roman statue that definitively shows a cavalryman in battle, in a "parade" helmet!<br>
<p></p><i></i>
