Phalerae

[MARCvSVIBIvSMAvRINvS]

Maarten, whats the title of Maxfeld's book ?

M.VIB.M.

[C. Apollonius Priscus]

Maarten, whats the title of Maxfeld's book ? M.VIB.M.

Since Maarten is not answering, it's probably "The Military Decorations of the Roman Army" by Valerie Maxfield.

[maarten]

Can anybody help me with pictures of original phalerae, either bronze/silver ones or glass ones. It would help very much if the provenance is given. I have Maxfields book, but surely much more must have been found since its publication.

Thanks in advance

Maarten

[PhilusEstilius]

This is a link to Phalerae that I made for the late Douglas Arnold many years ago.

http://www.northumberland-computers.com ... roman1.jpg

[maarten]

Very nice set, congratulations, hereby the set I made for our centurio

Maarten

[PhilusEstilius]

Hi Maarten. Thank you for your comments I was looking at your Phalerae are they solid silver cast or have they been plated in silver, or then again have you made in repouss'e as I have with mine.

[maarten]

Hello Brian,

I'd tried to make them in repousse, but had trouble finding the correct material to make such a high relief. So they are cast in bronze (lost wax method) and then silvered.
Unfortunately it's very hard to find good material in Holland. Specialist shops where one could buy all kind of metals haven't survived, or one has to buy enormous quantaties (which I'm never going to need).

Maarten

[PhilusEstilius]

Hello Maarten. I have a better supply here in England but still expensive however there are many scap merchants near to where I live, infact one dealer is not so far from the Roman Fort of Segedunum or better known as Wallsend. I most times use 8 thousandths of an inch thick brass sheet which is I think around 36 gauge or -2mm, at times I can take that to about 2.5cm deep.
I also use the same gauge for relief beltplates and back the pictures with -6mm.

[Doc]

Maarten,

I believe that the silver used in the Lauresfort set was about .8mm or thicker. That is why the 4.5cm relief was obtained for the Jupiter Ammond.

As Brian pointed out, you could use ultra thin material but this would have to be filled especially in the nose and cheek areas to avoid crushing. I remember that several months ago, Brian tried to make a copy of the Lauresfort Medusa for me where I asked him to go 3.5 cm which is the dept the original was.

Even using silver metal that was 15 thou caused him to punch through the nose making the phalerae useless. So yes, Brian is correct that you can get no more than 2.5cm at the thickness he stated. If you want to go higher, you need much thicker material.

Brian I do not believe that 36 gauge can be 2mm.

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

As silver is a lot softer than brass, probably ist easier to obtain such high relief. Romans have the same problem as us, and in one suspension band of a sword make in silver, the plate cracked, and the roman silversmith have to put some tinning inside in order to conceal the failure.

The secret probably is to anneal constantly the piece. In brass with only 3 strikes of the hammer sometines a annealing is needed. Silver, copper and some bronzes are more helpful to work with.

[maarten]

I looking for information but specially pictures of glass phalerae. I hope anybody can help me

Thanks in advance

Greetings

Maarten

[LUCIUS ALFENUS AVITIANUS]

Jurjenius have posted some pictures here:
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[maarten]

Thanks for the reply, I am familiair with these three.All three come from Holland .I've reconstructed the last two as a model for glass ones.

Does anybody know other ones

greetings

maarten

[Lucius Petilius Remo]

une tenue vraiment superbe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! j'en rêve!!!!!

[jkaler48]

I haven't been able to find much in the way of Ancient sources on Phalerae. Does anyone think it possible that Phalerae may have been the Roman equivalent of the modern
uniform ribbons with the Phalerae representing various awards, campaigns or battles?