Searching for pictures of early Gladiator helmets

[john m roberts]

Here is a fair picture of the Detroit helmet. It isn't as good as the black-and-white photo they sent me years ago, but I haven't found that one yet. Note that none of the three North American helmets has a crest resembling the later gladiatorial helmets.

[richard robinson]

john m roberts
you sir are a living legend
and have assisted in the completion of a quest.
I will have a beer in your honour.
right now.
regards
richard robinson

[Palmerius2002]

They used to sell post cards at the Higgins Armory gift shop of the Gladiator helmet at the Higgins Armory
in the 1970's and 1980's.

If memory serves me correct.....

Try emailing the gift shop instead if no response from the curatorial staff.

They are closing in December 2013.

In January they will move to the Worcester Art Museum In Massachusetts Unated Staten

[Caratacus]

I visited the Higgins museum in 2005 and saw and photographed the gladiator helmet then, but I don't think that my pictures would add anything to the ones you already have (yours are better than mine, anyway). I did write subsequently to the museum and ask if they had any provenance for the item and the reply I had back said that it was 'collected' by Mr. Higgins in the 1930s but that nothing further was known about it. So, I don't think that this could be one of those found in the gladiator barrack at Pompeii.

Mike Tomas
(Caratacus)

[john m roberts]

I've just received the 2008 edition of "Das Spiel mit dem Tod" and to my amazement, among the new material is a picture of the Castel San Angelo helm. I saw this helm at the castle way back in 1966, on my first trip to Rome when I was 18. When I went there again in 1971 it was no longer on display. When I got the first edition of Marcus Junkelmann's book it was mentioned, but there was no picture. I was relieved to see this confirmation because I was beginning to think that I had imagined it. I corresponded with Junkelmann about it, and he said that he had heard of it but was unable to track it down or find a picture of it. It seems that he finally did. It's a brimmed helmet without visor or cheekpieces, like the Higgins example. Its crest is semicircular, like the Higgins and the Detroit helms. The front of the brim is much longer than the back, and curves downward, giving it an appearance unlike the others. I believe this completes our pictures of all the known gladiator helms (not counting fragments in various museums and collections).

[Hildebrandt]

I have uploaded a few photographs I recently took of the ROM's gladiator helmet to my Flickr photostream.

-Hildebrandt

[Conal]

I've just received the 2008 edition of "Das Spiel mit dem Tod" and to my amazement, among the new material is a picture of the Castel San Angelo helm. I saw this helm at the castle way back in 1966, on my first trip to Rome when I was 18. When I went there again in 1971 it was no longer on display. When I got the first edition of Marcus Junkelmann's book it was mentioned, but there was no picture. I was relieved to see this confirmation because I was beginning to think that I had imagined it. I corresponded with Junkelmann about it, and he said that he had heard of it but was unable to track it down or find a picture of it. It seems that he finally did. It's a brimmed helmet without visor or cheekpieces, like the Higgins example. Its crest is semicircular, like the Higgins and the Detroit helms. The front of the brim is much longer than the back, and curves downward, giving it an appearance unlike the others. I believe this completes our pictures of all the known gladiator helms (not counting fragments in various museums and collections).

John, apart from this helmet is there sufficient new stuff to warrant buying the updated book?

[Medusa Gladiatrix]

There's a new book out on the Pompeii gladiator gear with new, more detailed pictures as it says on the website. In contrary to the 'Junkelmann' which is available in German only this is a bilingual edition in German and English. I couldn't have a look at it yet, since it will be a X-mas gift from my mom 8+)

http://www.zabern.de/buch/Gladiator/24276