![]() Both styles of helmet feature a deep, rounded bowl, with flattened tops, and steep sides, as well as cheek guards. While the Agen and Port styles are not immediately similar in appearance, they both exhibit features that would become standard with later designs. Today, only a handful of Port style Roman helmets are known to have survived into the modern era. Again, like the Agen helmets, they were made of iron rather than bronze or brass. Their appearance is very similar to the Coolus style of Roman helmet, although the Port style has a far more “Roman” look to it even compared to the Agen style. They also exhibit a noticeable Celtic influence and were in use from roughly 100 BCE- 100 CE, during the Late Republic and Early Imperial periods of Roman History. The Port style is very similar to the Agen style, although they are not immediately similar in appearance. Port: The “Second” Ancestral Roman Helmet Port helmet, Celtic 1st Century BCE, via National Museum of Switzerland The cheek guards are held in place by a pair of rivets on each side of the helmet. Across the front of the bowl, there were a pair of simple, recurved, embossed eyebrows, which would become a standard feature in later helmets. It has been speculated that this rib may have functioned to increase the rigidity of the helmet or perhaps to improve ventilation. They have a narrow brim that flares out in the back to form a neck guard that was embossed with two shallow, semi-circular steps and the helmet had a triangular sectioned horizontal rib all the way around the bowl. The Agen style features a deep, rounded bowl with flattened tops and steep sides, as well as cheek guards. Only a handful of Agen style Roman helmets are known to have survived into the modern era.Īgen (Casque Gaulois) helmet, Celtic, 1st Century BCE, via Wikimedia Commons The Celts were renowned metalworkers in Antiquity and are considered to be pioneers in the development of iron helmets. Otherwise, their appearance is very similar to that of the Coolus style. What sets them apart from other Roman helmets of this period is that they were made of iron rather than brass or bronze. They were in use during the Late Republic and Early Imperial periods of Roman History or roughly 100 BCE- 100 CE. ![]() The Agen style is another example of Celtic influence on Roman armor. It saw its greatest use during the period of Caesar’s Gallic Wars (58-50 BCE), possibly because large numbers of Celtic armorers were employed by the Romans at this time.Īgen: The “First” Ancestral Roman Helmet Agen Helmet, Roman 1st Century BCE, Giubiasco Ticino Switzerland, via Pinterest with Agen Helmet Line Drawing, 1st Century BCE, via Wikimedia Commons ![]() The Coolus style appears to have come into use during the 3rd Century BCE and remained in service until the 1st Century CE. This was critical during this period as many Roman citizens were called upon to serve in the army. Both helmets were likely adopted by the Romans because their simple design meant that they could be mass-produced cheaply. Like the Montefortino helmet, which it resembles, the Coolus Roman helmet was also Celtic in origin. Montefortino style Roman helmets are very similar to the Coolus style of Roman helmets so that they are often grouped together in modern classification systems.Ĭoolus: Caesar’s Helmet Coolus helmet, 1st Century CE, via the British Museum Often the name of the soldier who wore the helmet was inscribed inside of it. Most finds are missing their cheek guards, which has led to speculation that they may have been made of some sort of perishable material. It also featured a protruding neck guard and cheek plates which protected the side of the head. It is characterized by its conical or rounded shape and a raised central knob on top of the helmet. ![]() The Montefortino was made most commonly from bronze, but iron was also occasionally used. This helmet came into use sometime around 300 BCE and saw service into the 1st Century CE. As with many other types of Roman helmet, it originated with the Celts. This means that the earliest type of Roman helmet that can easily be identified as such is the Montefortino type. Though it would be a mistake to assume that Roman soldiers did not wear helmets during those periods. This makes identifying and classifying distinctly Roman helmets of the Roman Kingdom and the Early Republic rather difficult. 3rd Century BCE, via the British MuseumĮarly Roman helmets tended to borrow their designs and styles from the various Italiotes, Etruscans, and other peoples of the Italian Peninsula. Montefortino: The Longest Serving Roman Helmet Montefortino helmet, ca. ![]()
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