Imperial Gallic Roman Helmet

Description

The success of the Roman Empire often depended on the heavily armored foot soldier – the formidably tough Legionnaire. They marched triumphantly from the cold mists of England to the hot, dry plains of the Mideast. In these campaigns, the Romans relied on these helmets for head-protection. The Legionnaires helmet is one of the most easily recognizable symbols of the empire which at the time ruled the known world.

This Roman helmet (also called galea or cassis) is an accurate replica of a mid-1st c. AD Imperial Gallic “G” Weisenau helmet recovered from the Rhine River in Mainz-Weisenau, Germany. The original, remarkably well-preserved iron-and-bronze artefact is on display for people to admire at the Museum im Andreasstift in Worms, Germany. Typical features for this particular kind of helmet were (among others) the sloping neck guard, the distinctive eyebrows, the frontal reinforcement and the decorative circular bosses/rosettes.

This authentic reproduction of a Roman officer’s helm with hinged cheek pieces is crafted from 1.2 mm (18 gauge) polished steel and richly adorned with brass fittings. The interior is not lined, but delivery includes a padded cotton cap that makes the helmet fully wearable. Additionally, small rings are fitted on the inner side of the cheek plates for easy attachment of a chin strap (not included).

The red crista, that can be seen in product photos, can be bough separately. The crista was reserved for Roman soldiers vested with special command within a cohort such as Centurions and Optiones, seconds-in-command below the centurions. In modern terms these positions would perhaps be called officers and NCOs (non-commissioned officers) or XOs (executive officers). The Plume/Crista comes with a brass crest holder for proper fitting to this helmet. Link to the crista –Plume/Crista for Roman Helmet-

• This model is typically called Imperial Gallic G Weisenau
• Made of 1.2 mm steel with brass fittings
• Comes with 100% cotton padded cap
• Suitable for head circumference up to approx. 61 cm. Note that this helmet has quite round shape, so head shape affects suitable sizing.
• Back to front: approx. 21.5 cm
• Ear to ear: approx. 19,5 cm
• Weight: approx. 1,2 kg