12-19-2008, 11:29 AM
Looking at the arch frieze the left hand musician looks like he's blowing a straight instrument whilst his companion definitely has a cornu.
There is one argument against the depiction being an archaism and that is that the musicians are wearing long-sleeved tunics (and possibly trousers). This is a contemporary fashion and surely if they were being depicted as a bit of antiquarianism to fit with the Trajanic date reliefs on the arch they would have been shown wearing short-sleeved tunics.
As for the "Roman Attic" helmets, I've always been struck by the similarity of the brow-piece to older Greek diadems. Such diadems were often used as funerary ornaments, made of gold foil on a leather or other backing material. I wonder if there was any social, religious or other non-utilitarian significance in depicting soldiers wearing such helmets.
There is one argument against the depiction being an archaism and that is that the musicians are wearing long-sleeved tunics (and possibly trousers). This is a contemporary fashion and surely if they were being depicted as a bit of antiquarianism to fit with the Trajanic date reliefs on the arch they would have been shown wearing short-sleeved tunics.
As for the "Roman Attic" helmets, I've always been struck by the similarity of the brow-piece to older Greek diadems. Such diadems were often used as funerary ornaments, made of gold foil on a leather or other backing material. I wonder if there was any social, religious or other non-utilitarian significance in depicting soldiers wearing such helmets.
Martin
Fac me cocleario vomere!
Fac me cocleario vomere!
