Thracian Helmets

[Olaf]

Up until the early first century AD a Thraex Gladiator would have worn the typical Hellenistic Phryghian cap type helmet used by the contemporary tribesmen in warfare.
There is a relief from Rome dated to 50BC showing a Thracian with such a helmet fighting a Hoplomachus wearing a Hellenistic helmet of Makedonian/Greek style.
Both helmets only show cheekpieces and the blade employed by the Thraex is still curved and not bend like the later Sica.
Around 50AD we have the first helmets with full face protection Helmets of Chiety type:

The Chiety type was still in use 79AD in Pompeji:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/
Also found in Pompeji were helmets of the so called Pompeji type:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/
In the first halve of the 2nd century AD the so called Berlin type was introduced. We only have the Murmillo example from Berlin but Iconography also shows this kind of helmet used by Thraex:


The 3rd century mosaic from Kourion seems to show an even later type of helmet:


This one seems to be similar to the one shown in the relief that you have as your avatar.

One thing to note is, even though not all Iconography does show this, the Thraex helmets seem to all have a halve crecent crest terminating in a Gryphons head.