These were either centrally mounted plumes or U-shaped removable holders attached to the back of the helmet.Īpart from serving as eye-catching helmet decorations, these crests, especially when they incorporated emblems, also acted as identification for different infantry units. Since all pre-industrial era helmets were handmade, it is rather unclear if the Roman Empire placed certain standards on the galea’s design and shape. Different units of Roman legions and cavalry wore different shaped and styled helmets. A Roman soldier would wear it to protect his head from attack on the battlefield.Įven some gladiators and myrmillones have been documented to have worn bronze helmets with face masks during gladiator fights. The helmet, or the galea, was a crucial part of ancient Roman armory. A typical Roman soldier’s tunic was an off-white color or dyed red with madder. In the beginning, military tunics were sleeveless, but later full sleeves were added.Ĭlose attention was paid to the length of the tunic so as to make it suitable for the wearer’s rank. This was made from wool, cotton, or linen depending on the climate. In the military, a shirt-like tunic made from a piece of rectangular cloth was worn. People with a higher status in Roman society would wear longer tunics, often decorated with stripes and ornaments to reflect their wealth. In the years that followed, almost all Romans wore it on a regular basis. It was around the early third century that the tunic started to gain more popularity as it was far more comfortable and practical. Until that time, the toga was worn by Romans of both genders, a tradition the Romans had taken over from their Greek predecessors. Until around the second century BC, the tunic had yet to appear on the scene as a general piece of clothing. This switch also coincided with the Roman military now favoring spears in place of heavier javelins in battles. Soon, the Roman legions also followed suit and switched to spatha around the second to third century AD. These were called the spatha and were popular with the Roman cavalry during first century AD. Then there were the long swords preferred by soldiers during the middle and late periods of the Roman Empire. The most popular of these improved swords were the Mainz gladius and the Pompeii gladius. The earliest gladii were succeeded by subsequent, more efficient designs. In comparison to other medieval swords, these were rather short – a typical gladius was only 18–24 inches (45-61cm) long. Next in line is the Roman gladius which is the Latin word for sword. Usually the most preferred sidearm, the daggers were equipped with large, leaf-shaped blades 7-11 inches (18–28cm) in length and around 2 inches (5cm) in width. These Roman daggers were pretty handy when they had to fight enemies in very close proximity. The smallest one among these was called the pugio. The Roman legions used different kinds of swords of varying shapes and sizes.
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