H.R.Robinson Helmet Typology

[Paullus Scipio]

Caratacus/Mike wrote:

I've always felt that Robinson's division between Montefortino and Coolus lost something in the middle ground - I defy anyone to be certain as to whether the D+ types of the former are really that much different to the 'early' Coolus types.

...perhaps we should remind ourselves of why R-R made the distinction.The 'Montefortino' type, to it's demise, retains its essential characteristics - 'bulbous/bell' shaped bowl, crest finial drawn up in one piece from bowl, out-turned flange on the lower rim etc. Only in its final forms, under the influence of 'Coolus' types, does it acquire a large flat neckguard and cheek-piece of Gallic outline, and in some cases, a brow-guard, but the bowl is always recognisable as 'Montefortino' type, evolved from a native Italian type.
On the other hand the 'Coolus/jockey-cap type' originate with Gallic smiths in the Coolus-Marne district, evolving from a native gallic type and needing little other than cheek-pieces to suit the requirements of a legionary helmet. Originally, the bowl is a simple shape and had no flange on the rim, nor a crest finial drawn from the bowl, which is also of simple curvature, almost hemispherical in profile. While they acquire crest knobs, these are never integral, but applied/joined on.

However, it is true that 'Monefortinos' acquire 'Coolus' characteristics and vice versa until the two are visually similar ( see especially 'Montefortino "D" and 'Coolus' "D" - the latter probably even being made in Italian workshops according to R-R, because the re-inforcing peaks are of 'Italic' right-angle section), yet the observer can always distinguish between the two types of bowl, which is why R-R classified them as two distinct types.