ROMAN HELMETS

History and Development
Roman helmets were quite varied, if looked at over the course of time, and trace their heritage back to Greek and indigenous Italic styles. Some early Roman helmets conform to Italo-Corinthian types, having the appearance of a Corinthian helm pushed back, resting on top of the head, but in actuality being a fully functional head defense, as is. Others appear to have been of Attic descent, combined with native Italian features. One common denominator shared by most Roman infantry helmets was the preference for visibility over complete protection. Evidently the Romans valued the ability to see and hear more than the need to cover the face entirely. Hence the usage of full-face Corinthian type helmets was not widespread during the Roman Republic and this predilection can be seen, as such, in the adaptation of the Corinthian design into what has been called Italo-Corinthian. On most Roman helmets, cheek guards were used to cover the majority of the face, while still leaving the nose and eyes vulnerable. Neck guards were a common feature of nearly all Roman helmets from the very earliest, and indeed appear to have consistently grown larger as the time passed. From an early period, many helmet types seem to have been co-opted from their Celtic neighbors and incorporate a variety of features and designs. Some helmets are named for their type finds, while others have been called such by various scholars in their attempts to classify helmets whose names are now lost to us. Had there been a name for these types of helmets, used by Roman generals and armorers, they are now lost to the ages. The late H. Russell Robinson, noted scholar and curator of the Tower of London Museum, was the originator of many of these helmet classifications. Some scholars have since debated the efficacy of some of his classifications and identifications, but this system has become widely known and accepted among scholars, collectors, and reenactors alike.

Our Products
We are proud to carry Deepeeka replicas of many of these helmets. Certain Deepeeka products we recommend highly on account of their historical accuracy, though we are able to offer their full range of products. Deepeeka has recently consulted scholars and historians on the internet discussion forum, Roman Army Talk, and sought advice on how to improve existing reproductions of helmets to make them more historically accurate. No other commercial manufacturer has gone to such great lengths to please both the historian and reenactor clientele, while still offering affordable merchandise. We commend Deepeeka for doing so and we highly recommend those products which are newly revised, along with those that were excellent from their inception. We give each item listed here an authenticity rating, as per our own scale. The most historically correct reproductions are given a 10 rating. Anyone who purchases such a helmet will indeed feel as if he or she were coming face to face with the ancient legionary who wore it. No better reproduction could be obtained commercially!