Why do most cavalry helms...?

[Gaius Colletti]

Why do most cavalry helmets have the ear slots enclosed by part of the cheekguard? (When I say cavalry, I am referring to ones typically attributed to cavalry such as the Auxiliary E or any helmet on this page: https://www.armamentaria.com/store/index...&cPath=1_3

Was there a specific purpose that cavalry helmets had the ear slots enclosed? All Imperial-era infantry helmets had open ear slots, presumably so the infantry could clearly hear orders. Was this not the case with cavalry helms? Being on a horse I don't see cavalrymen's ears being particularly vulnerable.

Recently I have acquired an Auxiliary E helmet and tested it out, and while the "ear protector" does not greatly impede hearing, it does not make hearing any easier.

Your thoughts?

[M. Demetrius]

The "ear protector" isn't an aid to hearing, it's an aid to help keep the outer ear from being sliced off from a downward blow of a blade. Nobody can hear as well without an outer ear, so I guess it IS an aid to hearing. :lol:

[Gaius Colletti]

I'm not referring to the ear guard that would protect an ear from a slice that all Gallic and Italic Imperial helmets have (except for the Gallic A), I'm referring to cavalry helmets making room for an ear slot, only to cover it up with the cheekguard. See pic

[M. Demetrius]

Sorry, I misunderstood.

When it gets down to the "why" questions, sometimes I just shake my head. There often doesn't seem to be any reason at all.

[batesmotel]

Is there any chance that in normal use that the cavalry helmet would be warn either with the cheek pieces removed (or open in some manner) when not in combat? I do not have any experience with this type of equipment but I could see where it woule be useful for a cavalry man to have fuller protection in combat to protect from opposing missiles. Unlike infantry fighting in close formation with large shields, I would think a cavalryman would be more dependent on their personal armor to stop enemy arrows, javelins, etc and hence the more closed configuration of the cavalry helmet would make sense in combat. But when not in combat I would think the cavalryman would want the increased visibility and hearing that removing or opening the cheek pieces from the helmet could provide.

Chris

[jvrjenivs]

Is there any chance that in normal use that the cavalry helmet would be warn either with the cheek pieces removed (or open in some manner) when not in combat?

Well, looking at all kinds of masked cavalry helmets, I would say that there are enough that don't make any sense when worn without the mask, as it leaves the head greatly exposed and it makes the helmet be less fitted to the head, which I wouldn't suggest on horseback.

[John Conyard]

Infantry helmets allow men to hear orders. Cavalrymen ignore orders and just folow visual signals. And on death your soul would exit out of your ear on it's way to the next world.Infantry helmets allow this. But cavalryman do not plan on dying. Or just have no souls. :wink:

[Gaius Colletti]

I agree Jurjen, the helmet would be near pointless without cheekguards, especially when bouncing around on horseback. Being rather fast and agile on a horse I would imagine a small ear slot would be rather difficult to aim a sling or arrow through unless you were at point blank.

If neither Jurjen nor John have an explanation, I'm afraid I won't find one, like David said there are just somethings that you shouldn't try to find an explanation for, and just dont make sense...

[jvrjenivs]

Well, in another topic it was recently mentioned to post less 'speculation' on this board, but ignoring that for a moment, I personally think we underestimate the value of 'fashion' in many discussions. Maybe you're question can be as simple as that. It's a fashion development. (e.g. helmets get more and more closed, and cavalry helmets start getting 'ears' on the masks and cheeckpieces)

[PhilusEstilius]

Matt.
In the second picture you show of a helmet there is a group in England known as the Quinta Gallorum who are indeed foot soldiers who wear this type, and this group I think in the past have claimed that this type of helmet was also used by infantry.
I would also go along with Jurjen to say was this a period of fashion and change where all round protection was needed, if this idea of the Quinta is prooved to be correct then for infantry also with long swords of that period being swung at people there could have been ears all over the place.
I would also think that in the later Roman era we find longer thrusting spears come to be used, and cavalry may have just needed this extra coverage when being brought to a halt by infantry.

[Gaius Colletti]

Brian, thank you for mentioning Quinta Gallorum, I did a google search. I was aware that the helmet I have pictured in in my previous post (Auxiliary E) was in use by the infantry as well as the cavalry, or is at least speculated to be so.

I posted the picture because I happen to own an Auxiliary E and had easy access to it. The only problem I have with the infantry theory is that infantry wearing segmentata would not easily be able to this helmet with it as I have found out myself. Though who is to say that this is not an adaption of the Italic as it picks up (from a historical timeline) after the Italic D and all Italics (the H being the sole exception) disappear from history.

[Gashford]

Hi there

I have little experience with cavalry equipment, so this is just based on a few thoughts. But one reason I might like protection like that if I was fighting from a horse, might be, that a lot of the weapons are coming up at me rather than down or across at me. The piece of protection across the top of the ear might act as a guide/scoop for any upward spear (weapon) thrusts or the such coming up and into my ear or side of my head.

I have included as many, mights and have beens as I can, as this is just my supossition.

Hope this helps at all.

Kind regards

Graham

[agrimensor]

Matt sais :The only problem I have with the infantry theory is that infantry wearing segmentata would not easily be able to this helmet with it as I have found out myself.

But not all the infantry used segmentata, maybe onhamata it would work just fine :wink:

[PhilusEstilius]

Matt.

I begin to think that by the time this Auxiliary E style of helmet comes into use, the segmetata type of armour may well have been phased out.
For the kind of battle tactics appear to change when the longer spartha infantry sword came into use, along with very dramatic changes in the less armoured situation of troops going into the third to fourth century period.

[Gaius Colletti]

Agrimensor, sorry I didn't word my sentence right, I know that hamata and squamata never disappeared, I only meant that legionaries that had segmentata would have opted for another helmet type, as it is incompatible (if you want to move your head around easily anyways mile: ) I agree that this particular helmet provides better protection than a Gallic type would offer to the jaw and neck, so it would make sense from a cavalry point of view

Philus, as this particular helmet is dated from AD150-200, segmentata was still well into its prime. It just was just designed without segmentata in mind