\"Celtic\" military technology and the Romans

[Dan Howard]

Double layered face-covering camails are directly described in a number of Byzantine military treatises.

Do we know that lamellar was used on helmets?

There are depictions from the 11th century showing Byzantine soldier saints wearing lamellar klivania with mail sleeves and mail skirts. Where klivania are shown with splint sleeves and mail skirts I would say that separate mail skirts (kremasmata) are being shown. However, when mail is shown at sleeve and skirt the most logical interpretation is that the klivanion is being worn over a complete mailshirt.

The only possible example I know of is on the on the church door of San Nicola at Bari but that is more likely scale rather than lamellar and AFAIK it dates to the 12th century.

Before the Battle of Sirmium the Byzantine general Andronikos Kontostephanos is described by the historian Kinnamos as "donning his mailshirt and then the rest of his armour", This is not completely overt, but it suggests that a klivanion is being worn over the mailshirt.

Or he then put on his vambraces, helmet, and gauntlets; maybe even a padded kabadion.