12-13-2010, 12:47 PM
Hello all
I have been asked to make some decorative greaves for a Centurion based upon Q. Sertorius Festus's stele in the Verona Museum (p.156 The Armour of Imperial Rome, Russel Robinson) which has in turn lead me to trying to find military greaves from this period, about AD42 through to around AD150 that reach and cover the knees. I am trying to get a better idea of the fashion for this period when considering the shape of the greaves, muscularity and decoration.
The ones in the stele mentioned above are quite shapeless, but so is the rest of the sculpture, presumably following stone work depictions of the period and rather than simply make some decorated tubes I am trying to track down the shapes of the period for military greaves. However I have so far managed to draw a complete blank and I can't find any examples that aren't gladiatorial or the smaller ones that cover only the shin and are either heavily decorated with figures or with very simple beading down the edges.
Are there any good examples of these fuller, military greaves out there that I am missing, or is it going to be a case of simply trying to interpret a stone mason's handiwork?
My thanks for any help you may be able to offer.
Graham
I have been asked to make some decorative greaves for a Centurion based upon Q. Sertorius Festus's stele in the Verona Museum (p.156 The Armour of Imperial Rome, Russel Robinson) which has in turn lead me to trying to find military greaves from this period, about AD42 through to around AD150 that reach and cover the knees. I am trying to get a better idea of the fashion for this period when considering the shape of the greaves, muscularity and decoration.
The ones in the stele mentioned above are quite shapeless, but so is the rest of the sculpture, presumably following stone work depictions of the period and rather than simply make some decorated tubes I am trying to track down the shapes of the period for military greaves. However I have so far managed to draw a complete blank and I can't find any examples that aren't gladiatorial or the smaller ones that cover only the shin and are either heavily decorated with figures or with very simple beading down the edges.
Are there any good examples of these fuller, military greaves out there that I am missing, or is it going to be a case of simply trying to interpret a stone mason's handiwork?
My thanks for any help you may be able to offer.
Graham
