Did Roman cavalry wear face-masks in battle?

[Urselius]

But that argument would hold true for all cheekpieces attached by hinges, and I don't think that their utility in protecting the face has ever been seriously challenged. A piece of armour does not have to be capable of surviving a "worst case scenario" for it to be useful. Something capable of protecting from long-range archery is useful, even if it would not survive being hit by a pickaxe.