Couissin

Lindenschmit as an elderly bearded man wearing a brimless smoking cap, looking to the right.

From Lindenschmit to Fischer: the Long March of Roman Military Equipment

October 19, 2024 MCB

This is the text of a (hitherto unpublished) paper presented by MCB to the Roman Finds Group Conference on Richborough, held at the University of Canterbury in 2018. We offer it here as a reflection on the development of Roman military equipment studies.

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Gallery Samples

Curved, rectangular copper-alloy shield boss with six of eight domed shield nails in situ. Image: P. Gross

Shield boss

Crossing the Red Sea fresco from the synagogue at Dura-Europos depicting soldiers with multi-coloured shields lined up before standard-bearers with vexilla. Image: Wikimedia Commons

Fresco

Ferrous back plate and scales from lorica squamata from Carlisle (GBR). The mostly ferrous scales are interspersed with copper alloy scales. Image: scrappy annie (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Scale armour

Ferrous cavalry helmet with copper-alloy (probably brass) embossed and incised sheathing (most of it missing over the bowl). The cheek piece may not be original (or may be a clumsy repair). A plume tube survives on the left-hand side just above the ear. Image: National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden (CC0 1.0)

Cavalry helmet

Copper-alloy belt plate from Chichester, hinged for a buckle or suspension frog. Image: MCB

Belt plate

Three-way strap junction from harness found at Doorwerth. Three junction loops and a trefoil pendant are hinged to loops on the rear face of the phalera. Brass with silver foil soldered on the front face and with niello inlay depicting stylised vine leaves and grapes. Image: National Museum of Antiquities, Leiden (CC0 1.0)

Phalera junction

Dagger and scabbard of the Antonine form from Stillfried (AT). Part of the handle survives on the blade and tang. Image: Wolfgang Sauber

Dagger and scabbard

Ferrous Weisenau (Imperial-Gallic)-type helmet. Image: MCB

Helmet