Originally in Strasbourg Museum, Inv.no. L 84. Since 1926 as permanent loan in Städtishe Kunstsammlungen, Römisches Museum, Augsburg, Inv. no. VF 1053.
Iron. The metal of the helmet is strongly corroded and is lacking the ear guards, cheek guards, forhead protection as well as the helmet crest mountings. The neck guard is also broken. However, from the marks left on the helmet, the positions of all these parts can be deduced.
The hinge bar of the cheek guard on the left side remains in position.
On the right hand side, the remains of the brass earguard can be seen beneath the copper securing rivets. This last appears to be tin plated. The presence of other, differently shaped, holes suggests that the earguards had been replaced at some stage.
There are the remains of tin-coated copper rivets beneath the neck guards that were probably the attachment points for the tie-straps.
The attachment points for the crest holder remain although because there are several holes on the top of the helmet bowl, the action of corrosion cannot be ruled out here.
The helmet retains traces of silver sheet metal, (a) beneath the surviving rivets of the browband, (b) at the top of the helmet bowl, beneath the brass sheet where the helmet crest holder was originally, (c) at the right hand edge of the neck protection, here there are two fragments over and under the rivet. This suggests that the whole helmet was silver plated and this would have formed a contrast with the brass elements (such as the earguards, etc.)
The 'eyebrows', in low relief, are embossed with three ribs, tapering off at the ends.
There are no traces of a carrying handle.
Schröder suggested that this helmet may have come from the deposit at the supposed early Augustan site of Augsburg-Oberhausen. However, Klumbach disagrees with this, siting the late pattern for this helmet.
Photos (c) Christian Koepfer.
References:
Robinson, H.R. (1975), "The Armour of Imperial Rome", (Arms & Armour Press), p.57-8, Nos.130-3
Bottini, A., (Ed) (1988), "Antike Helme, Handbusch & Catalogue", Monograph 14, RGZM, (Mainz), p.531, No.115, Abb.K115a, b & c.
Forrer, R. (1901), Fund eines römischen Eisenhelmes bei Augsburg. Westdt. Zeitschr. 20, , 110ff.
Reinecke, P. (1951) "Kleine Schriften zur vor- und frühgeschichtlichen Topographie Bayerns", 57.
Hübener, W. (1973) "Die römischen Metallfunde von Augsburg-Oberhausen" 17; 32f. Taf. 38.
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