Painted legionary helmets?

[Tarbicus]

Actually Rob, that helmet doesn't have the same pattern on the back. It's missing the eyebrows, which suggests their being present on the front are meant to be exactly that, with the jewels being eyes. The rear 'eye' jewels are also orientated differently, which probably could mean they are not even supposed to be eyes.

@Tarbi:
I'm not sure you can explain it so literally. Are the 'eyebrows' really eyebrows? If they are, the eyes at the back must be eyes as well, even without eyebrows. Other helmets also lack eyebrows. Therefore I assume that this is just a decoration, nothing more.

Actually mate, I have to disagree with you there for once. I honestly think that the "eyes", being flat ovals, with an arrangement above them in an arc represent eyes and eyebrows. The different orientation of the rear corresponding jewels tell me they are not meant to represent eyes, which in itself is a telling thing about the ones on the front. Why not just make them symmetrical?