Hellenistic \"Pilos\" helmet

[emilio]

Hellenistic Bronze helmet (Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 BC) - "Museo Egizio" - Turin, Italy

The helmet carries on the brim the name of an Alexander, son of Nicanor

arrivederci,
Emilio

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[Creon01]

Nice pics.

Is it described as a "Pilos" by the museum or simply as a "bronze helmet?"

The bottom of the helmet has elements of the "Boeotian" and the decoration looks similar to those found in "Thracian" helmets.

[emilio]

Hi, Joe

the helmet is described as "Pilos" by the museum.

arrivederci,
emilio



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[Sextus Saturninus]

Well museums are not always right. I saw one in Nevada that had a Sestertius of Trajan labelled as a Semis of Nero. Of course I corrected them, but it just shows how wrong a museum can be.

[Creon01]

Thank you for posting the museum label.

I find this to be a very interesting helmet that defies easy description.

[Urselius]

Peter Connolly describes it as a later Boeotian-type helmet, with a reduced brim and conical skull. The so-called Altar of Domitius Ahenobarbus shows a Roman cavalryman wearing something vaguely similar, at least in having a more pointed skull than the classic form.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeotian_h..._n3bis.jpg

[Lysimachos]

Very nice helmet. This does seem to be a fairly common hellenistic helmet design. For some reason museums and auction houses like to group them in with the pilos type. Here are a few more examples:

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a...ID=4265306

http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/lot/a...ID=3993895

http://www.altertuemliches.at/files/hh_6..._35000.jpg

I suppose they do this because of the tall crown, but I see even this element as somewhat different from the typical pilos. The average pilos has a convex curve all the way to the very top of the helmet, while with these ones the curve becomes concave near the top, terminating in a rather sharp peak. I am tempted to see a relationship between these helmets and Near Eastern designs which featured this look since at least the time of the Assyrians. Perhaps these helmets are a blend of the Boeotian and other Greek designs with elements of Near Eastern ones.

Because the top of the one you posted is missing, it's hard to tell if it conforms to this shape or not.