Helmets

**DUFFMAN** · August 06, 2010, 07:09 AM

Somebody in the Carthaginian preview pointed out that the units seem to wear their helmets pushed up in battle, and tone said that this was done based of how people looked like on certain coins.

Now I wonder, what if they wore their helmets pushed up in public, to be recognizable and to show that they are military people etc, but pushed down in battle? It doesn't make much sense to me that soldiers go to war with their helmets on their heads, but not using them as they are intended (to shield the head).

Sorry for bringing this up so late, but it never really occurred to me before. I'd like to hear other people's opinions why they wear their helmets pushed up in battle, because now I just think it's kinda stupid that they wear them like this..

Also are the coins the only evidence you guys could find about this?

**Alkimachos** · August 06, 2010, 07:23 AM

Ι think that your thought make sense...

**rory o'kane** · August 06, 2010, 07:29 AM

Here's an example of a bona-fide Pseudo-Corinthian helmet.

You can see here that they couldn't be pulled down over the face unless you wanted to leave your neck massively exposed - it was worn on the back of the head like a cap. The facial details were just decoration that referenced the fact that back when people wore the original Corinthian helmet they would tip them back for comfort when not in battle - it's just a stylised depiction of that which became an actual helmet design. That's why they're referred to as a "PSEUDO-Corinthian" helmet.

**DUFFMAN** · August 06, 2010, 07:53 AM

Okay, 2 remarks:

1) Having the neck exposed happens with other helmet designs as well, for example the WW2 ''standard'' Commonwealth helmet. Don't know the exact name of it, but they all wear it in films and pictures of the time.

2) If it was supposed to be worn like that, then why are there sooo many units that do this? I haven't been able to beta test lately, so I don't know exactly how many units wear their helmets like that, but in my memory nearly all Hellenistic units have it like this. I get it that some units wear them like this in reference to earlier days, but so many? It's just kinda hard to believe as it doesn't seem very useful in battle.

**tone** · August 06, 2010, 08:15 AM

No there are other examples of pseudocorinthian helmets that are clearly worn on top of the head.

How many units get this?
1) Sacred band
2) Taxeis hoplite
3) Greek standard bearers
4) Some Greek generals
5) Equites consulares

I can't think of any others that have pseudocorinthian helmets.

Besides which you're flying in the face of all academic and historical opinion.
Some of them have cheekguards as well:

Most of all though it's to do with having vision and hearing enabled which is more than useful in battle.

**DUFFMAN** · August 06, 2010, 08:25 AM

Alright then. There were more in my memory

For example all the different kinds of hoplites, I thought they all had these helmets.
But I am convinced now

**tone** · August 06, 2010, 08:28 AM

They do all have helmets, but not Apulo-Corinthian ones....the city hoplites have various types of helmets including Sidon, Phrygian, Thraco-Phrygian..