H.R.Robinson Helmet Typology

[Caratacus]

That´s not what I meant. I meant applying a simple number to the helmets / helmet types. As soon as a helmet is a double add a/b .

Yes, I do see what you mean. However, this will only work for small numbers of a particular type if you use an alphabetical system. If numbers are used instead, then you can add any number you like to a category. If I have understood you correctly what you are suggesting isn't too far removed from what we have at present (Coolus, A, B, C, etc). We still have to divide the helmets up according to their characteristics, working from the gross to the fine.

There's another one very much like it in Vienna Mike - albeit with applied cross-bracing.

Can you give me a more specific reference for this one? It may be that we already have it in the DB. If it isn't one known to me, I'd very much like to chase it up. This does, however, indicate the difficulty that we have. Does "very much like it" indicate that it's the same type, or merely a variation (again) because of the cross-bracing?

I think the most important groups would be the period indeed, wouldn't it?

The problem here is getting an accurate date (sometimes even a very rough one)! Frequently the date ascribed for the item depends on its 'style' - it's not often that there is anything that gives us a specific date for an item (e.g. a coin or an historic event - such as the destruction of Pompeii in AD 79). Then (and this is most important) there is a considerable overlap - i.e. different types of helmet were in use at the same time. These things were built to last! There's an IG in the British Museum that had four different owners. If they all served their full hitches, then this item could have been 100 years old when lost!

Any system that was put into place would have to have universal application. It's no good having one system for the Republican period and another for the Imperial one. That would be too confusing. The discussion continues!

Caratacus
(Mike Thomas)