Continental Saxon helmets

[Nathan Ross]

Groningen helmet?

Oh yes - I was vaguely thinking of that one, but I couldn't remember where or when it was from!

The thread there says 5th to 7th century, which might just bring it into the end of the Roman era.

defeating Romans meant that you could take their nice armour, helmets, swords, etcetera and use it yourself.

Absolutely - although I expect far more of it was traded or given than plundered! There are laws in the Theodosian Code prohibiting arms trading across the Roman frontier, which suggests it certainly went on before that if not after. What we don't know is the extent to which Roman styles were copied by indigenous metalworkers, who might perhaps have then developed their own traditions.