Roman Cavalry Helmets in Scotland

Introduction

Roman helmets in Scotland do indeed form a notable part of the countries archaeological heritage, and while the finds at Newstead for example are of outstanding international importance the frequency of small or part finds throughout Roman installations in Scotland confirm the view that the army of Britannia was equipped in line with standard Roman practice of the time and as such the equipment that would have been seen and used in Scotland parallels equipment in most other Roman theatres of operation. Early Roman helmets of the Republic Period will have been rarely seen in Scotland except as infrequent trade and booty from raiding on the continent. The earlier classical examples will have been most likely absent except those still worn by officer classes in the centuries of Roman involvement or contact with the peoples of the lands of what is now modern Scotland.

Helmets are most readily split into two categories, infantry and cavalry though officers will have had opportunity to purchase outwith standard patterns to a degree dependent on rank and position. The helmets discussed below are of standard and recognizable “Roman” manufacture, insofar as they would be produced by craftsmen or factories within the bounds of the empire. As with all great armies the Romans learnt from those they fought against and from early classical influences the emphasis for much of the era shifted to Celtic influence, then Persian influence.

Germanic influence came in a different form with gear being adopted by free Germans, developed and latterly reintroduced to mainstream Roman forces as the Romans became increasingly reliant on German recruits. However, as cavalry were often auxiliary, and in the early years of the empire at least were probably equipped in their native fashion cavalry helmets display a wide range of forms and shapes, a representative example only of which space allows to be illustrated below.

Cavalry Helmets

Cavalry helmets in the 1st C AD often take the form of a simple bowl, small neck guard and large hinged cheek-guards which extend to infill the space allowed on the skull for ear cut outs found on infantry helmets. These helmets could be plain, as was the example found at Newstead or richly embellished (Fig 1). 2A common form of decoration was to mimic human hair on the bowl, and in the first century Batavians, active in Scotland under Agricola are thought to have used human and horsehair attached to the bowl by netting. These helmets are light and simple and generally had no further brow or skull reinforcement, enveloping protection around the side of the head must have been the priority while the small neck guard will have minimised broken necks when falling from a horse.

Another form of helmet of the 1st C and beyond is the fully enclosing helmet commonly termed a “Parade” or “Sports” helmets.

These helmets usually have a face mask of idealised form, often of youths and Amazons. The bowl often follows the form of the simpler 1st C cavalry helmet however they are often extremely richly decorated. It has been suggested that these helmets, in conjunction with other fine equipment were for use at spectacular events and that they may have been worn to protect troopers from the sharp missiles thrown between mock combatants in formalised displays. They cannot have been comfortable to wear for long with restricted vision and ventilation limiting their roles to display.

These helmets (Figs 2 and 3) have been found throughout the empire with spectacular examples unearthed by Curle at Newstead where they were probably used at the amphitheatre on this site.

Cavalry helmets in the 2nd C developed deeper bowls and low flaring neck guards. Again cheek pieces extend to infill ear cut outs. As the century wears on the check pieces are extended and ultimately joined over at the chin, leaving little of the face exposed and providing good protection to the remainder of the head and neck (Fig 4).

Helmets like these, though usually with skull reinforcements are thought to have been adopted by the infantry in the 3rd C (refer to narrative on infantry helmets), though it is likely the use by the cavalry extended well into the early 4th C.

The “ridge” helmet style of construction, based on a simpler method of construction was introduced by Diocletian in the late 3rd C and it is thought likely these were heavily influenced by Sassanid Persian helmets.

A fine example was recovered from a bog at Deurne in Holland where it may have been deposited as a votive offering by Germanic tribesmen. This late Roman cavalry helmet is richly decorated with copper alloy sheathing over an iron inner bowl (Fig 5).

The use of such helmets was widespread and a particularly fine example unearthed at Berkasova is remarkably similar to one shown worn by the emperor himself on a coin of Constantine (Fig 6). With semi precious stones or coloured glass insets, such richly finished helmets will have been the preserve of the rich or elite.

Postscript:

The ridge helmet, which served he Romans well for likely over 200 years had an enduring influence on Germanic and Scandinavian helmet construction up to the 8th C but little beyond.

The common “spangenhelm”, of Sarmatian or middle-eastern origin continued as the preferred method of construction through to the dark ages.

High quality Roman helmets certainly were prized and valued heirlooms that lived on over generations, or indeed were deposited as high quality votive offerings, however the mass production techniques employed by the Romans were only carried on by the eastern empire, latterly termed Byzantine and were not to be repeated in such volume until the modern industrial age.

©2007 Roman Scotland. All Rights Reserved
First Published October 2007