At least 12 new Late Roman helmets from Koblenz, Germany

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

Late roman coins circulation is very complicated. A lot of times are founded arqueological levels of IV or even V century with coins of that period associated with others of III or II century. The monetary crisis implies a long time of money circulation, so for late roman period datation based only in coins are not possible except to mark a terminus post quem.

The "good coins" were very scarce, so they used "bad money" or "old Money", using the Jasper terminology... :wink:

So, the coins only show that helmets are newer than III century. Could be IV perfectly.

Very intersting, that hoard. A fabrica?

[Virtus Probi Invicti]

The helmets are dated by the coins found in that hoard. This coins are from the 2nd third of the 3rd century. That's all. No pictographic similarities, sorry.

Ah, my mistake!!! A thousand pardons...I didn't read carefully enough.
:oops:
If the coins are actually of good metal, which is possible in that era, they might have been hoarded as bullion. A denarius or "antoninianus" of 234 will have a reasonable amount of silver...an ant from 266 will have almost none, except for certain issues of Postumus.

[Urselius]

So many late helmets show evidence of expensive silver sheathing, how can the theory that they were adopted because they were cheap to manufacture stand up?

[Robert Vermaat]

So many late helmets show evidence of expensive silver sheathing, how can the theory that they were adopted because they were cheap to manufacture stand up?

Not cheap, cheaper. That's a big difference. Also, because they were made in parts, assembly could be faster, and repairs easier.

Mind you, it's all theory. For all we know, the new helmet types could have been pure fashion.

[Urselius]

So many late helmets show evidence of expensive silver sheathing, how can the theory that they were adopted because they were cheap to manufacture stand up?

Not cheap, cheaper. That's a big difference. Also, because they were made in parts, assembly could be faster, and repairs easier.

Mind you, it's all theory. For all we know, the new helmet types could have been pure fashion.

Like Ferrari re-tooling to make minis, then gold-plating them!

[Barbara]

ok, photos can be done, unfortunately only as early as the mid of november.
Christian Miks worked on those helmets (and wrote the publication), so maybe it will be able to ask him for further details. But I wanna have a look at the publication first, the reasons for the dating (including the coin cronology) MUST be in there... It would indeed be a little sensation in dating late roman helmets, but as you all said, the circulation of old cash is a real problem at those times.
Due to the fact that all the silver coating was ruptured and brought somewhere else I won't expect some silver coins in the pit. But maybe? We'll see.

[jho]

Coins indicate that the helmets date to the 2nd third of the 3rd century. They originally had a coating with precious metal. They suggest that the helmets maybe were the booty of Germanics, who ripped the cover before digging the rest.

Before everbody gets too excited: This dating appears to be a typo in the flyer. The flyer later refers to Constantius II and 350AD so it apparently should read 2nd third of the FOURTH century. No need to burn all text books on Roman military equipment yet.

[markusaurelius]

his dating appears to be a typo in the flyer. The flyer later refers to Constantius II and 350AD

Yup that is correct after reading it. It talks about the 3ird quarter of the 4th century after wrongly stating 3rd century earlier.

In either case getting some great photo's of all the helmets would be excellent!

[Simplex]

....yes, but the "typo" still prevails on the RGZM's very own website. :wink:
[url:nm27jk59]http://web.rgzm.de/680.html[/url]
On the contrary this little press release puts it right:
[url:nm27jk59]http://www.rhein-main-anzeigen.de/region/objekt.php3?artikel_id=3452096[/url] (Very nice journalistic quality for an ad-paper, isn't it ?! 8) )
Roughly translated (......roughly! :roll: ):
HELMETS FROM ROMAN TIMES
Museum shows special exhibtion: "From a gem to a piece of trash"
(PICTURE)
Twelve helmets from late roman era are being exhibited at the RGZM.
(Foto: hbt/Stefan Sämmer)
"From a gem to piece of trash" is the name of a special exhibition held at the RGZM (Roman-German-Central-Museum) with (ed.!) helmet findings from the late roman era, offering a scientifical sensation at free admission.

By
Jens Hoffmann
"We here see the result of historically oriented criminal investigation", says RGZM's chief director Dr. Falko Daim about the ensemble of finds constisting of 12 helmets and 3 shield-bosses. It should have been in the years from 353 to 355 AD, archeologist Dr. Christian Miks suggests, when german raiding roman provinces stripped these gilded, silvered and copper-plated (ed.!) pieces of equipment of their more valuable metal parts.
The excavators were lucky that the looters did this very hasty, burying their booty to exploit the rest of it on their way back. So for some reason this late antiquity hoard stayed hidden unter ancient Koblenz, until seeing light of day again in 1988 during construction works.
Strenuus precision work enabled the restoration team to strip (ed.!) the hardly recognizable small-parts from layers of corrosion up to 2 cm strong.
The exhibition shows late roman helmets and shield bosses of extreme rarity. Besides this it is documenting the extensive works of the restoration team, which gained valuable understanding about the equipment of the late roman army, says Miks. That helmets were to be divided into two main types. A main feature of both the heavier "Deurne/Berkasovo"-type used with cavalary units and the lighter infantry variety of the "Dunapentele/Intercisa"-type is a ridge running along the apex (?). This served to give stability to that helmets, besides serving as a means of ornamentary or possibly even a sign of rank in the late roman army. Both types of these ridge helmets were rooted (ed.) in asian-oriental tradition, explained Miks. In the course of the developping state of confrontation with the new-persian Sassanid kingdom by the late 3rd century, the romans had adapted this form of head-protection from their enemies.
On the contrary the conical shield-bosses showed signs of germanic methods of production, being an indicator of an increasing number of Germans fighting for the roman army as mercenaries, (as) that expert (Miks) for roman provinces reported.
This well-documented special exhibition, is open until 16th of November.
-------
(Well there we finally have HERE oops: )
O.K. it's late -- so my apologies for my not-so-fluent translation after a hard days work.

As alwas : Greez & Goodnight :wink:

Simplex

Anybody finding typos, misspells and related stuff may keep 'em, ----promise ... :wink:
Edited--therefore: V2.0 (Keep searching, folks ! :wink: )
Work in progress. :wink: V2.1

[Barbara]

Ah, thanx to all correcting this wrong dating! that would indeed be a more reasonable dating, something around Magnentius/Silvanus.
Typo on flyers and on the website... it seems that you can't believe anybody in the internet, especially not the museum that owns the finds.. :wink:

[Iagoba]

Mmmm...I´d accept this as birthday present from RAT, thanks. Few news may be better... hock:

Those fortunates that can go, will tell more, I hope. Please :wink:

[Natuspardo]

Dr. Christian Miks just confirmed me that the dating in the flyer is indeed wrong. As already observed it should be "2nd third of the 4rth century". - As he correctly notes, the promotion often does not remain in the hands of the scientist. I asked him to give some further details of his findings and will inform you about any news.

[Sextus Aurelius Propertiu]

Dear Comrades

Some photos please !

Sextus Aurelius Propertius

Eric-Alexandre Poher

[Natuspardo]

Dr. Christian Miks just wrote the following:

- there were several forms of ear protections found
- the picture shows a fragment of a calotte with ear cutaway and an external riveted ear cover plate.
- the dating (Translated by me):

3 folles from the Caesares Constantine II. and Constantius II from 323-326 AD, some peaces of "Mayener Keramik" mid 4th cent were found in the pit with the helmet parts. This pit is cut by a building pit of a big late roman building, in which a maiorina of Magnentius from 351 AD was found. Earlier observations in the vicinity imply that during the valantinianic fortress building projekt from 369 this building was rebuild, part of which probably was the part which cut the pit with the helmet parts. the condition of the completely disassembleld weapon parts, whose covering of precious metal was not ripped off very accurate, allow the conclusion that its probably booty which probably was deposed in the pit by looters who devastated the area of the middle rhine in the years 352/353-355 during the heavy Germanic incursions. Probably the intention was to recover the heavy rest of the material on the way back home to avoid the burden along the raid.
A complete publication of the findings is planned for one of the next "Jahrbücher des Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums Mainz".

[Sextus Aurelius Propertiu]

Many thanks, Jens, these pics are very interesting and are the testimony of this extraordinary work of reconstruction processed by Dr Miks aanyway , could you get some pics of the reconstructed helmets. it should be great !

Best regards

Sextus Aurelius Propertius

Eric-Alexandre Poher