Helmeted Warriors, Kings,

Asia, Paropamisadae or Gandhara
Indo-Greek Kingdom
House of Euthydemus
Menander I Soter (Milinda Panha) (r.BC 155-130)
AR Tetradrachm 26 mm x 9.76 grams.
Obverse: Helmeted and Diademed bust of Menander right. Greek Legend -BASILEWS SWTHROS MENANDPOY
Reverse: Athena Alkidemos (as protector of the city) Advancing left with thunderbolt and Gorgon faced shield. Monograms Left field; Kharosthi Legend-MAHARAJA TRATASA MENANDRASA
Ref: HGC 12, 182; Bopearachchi 15 monogram D;Mitchiner, type 217d
Note: Large denomination. Scarce. Ancient King of Religious and Historical significance. Pretty high grade.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

North Sea Empire
Stamford, Anglia
Cnut the Great (r. AD 1016 -1035)
AR Penny 18.2 mm x 1.00 grams (c. AD 1021-1035)
Obverse: The helmeted bust of Cnut left holding a scepter with 3 lobes.+ CNVT REX A
Reverse: Short cross with 4 pellets and 2 extra opposing pellets. + THVRSTAN ON STA

 

Hi All,

Helmets are rare on Ptolemaic coins but they do exist, mainly as mint marks and controls. However, here is the only issue with a helmeted figure on the obverse.

PTOLEMY V EPIPHANES (205/204-180 BCE)
EGYPT, ALEXANDRIA, SERIES 6B
Æ Drachm
Size: 19x18 mm
Weight: 4.7 g
(Typical measured weights: 3.05-6.45 g, av c 4.40 g, based on 14 specimens in Svoronos, SNG Copenhagen, ANS, and Paris.)
Die Axis: 00:00
Broucheion Collection P-2002-05-12.001​

Obv: Helmeted male (Ares resembling Ptolemy V) draped bust facing right. Boiotian helmet. Centration depression. Dotted border.
Rev: Εagle on thunderbolt facing left, wings closed. In right field: filleted cornucopia on eagle's shoulder. To left: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ; to right: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ. Centration depresion. Dotted border.
Refs: Lorber CPE-II-B574 temp; Svoronos-1155, pl xxxvii, 20-21; SNG Copenhagen-235 to 236; Sear-7849; BMC 06.069, #011.

- Broucheion

 

Most likely this very small item is not a coin, but a cutlass.

 

You just gotta know the exonumia folks are going to trample all over your thread with really interesting, but unrelated stuff.

Us Exonumismatists have something for everyone . . . . .

Helmeted Minerva from the California State Seal on a couple Glendale Coin Club medals . . . . . . . . (struck by Dan Carr of course) . . . . . . .

Z

​

 

VRBS ROMA are common but this appears to be the only known example of Roma with a decorated helmet for the entire series.




VRBS ROMA
A.D. 332- 333
17mm 2.5g
VRBS-ROMA; Roma, helmeted, wearing imperial cloak; helmet decorated with a palm branch (or feather) and a volute on the bowl.
Rev.- She-wolf left with twins (Romulus and Remus); above, two stars.
In ex. TR•S
RIC VII Trier 542




A fancy helmet with a griffin crest and decorated with Sol standing facing in quadriga, raising his right hand in salute and holding globe in his left, around, stars and crescent




Maximinus II
A.D. 309- 310
Ӕ follis 26mm 6.4g
MAXIMINVS NOB CAES; Helmeted and cuirassed bust left, holding spear over his right shoulder and shield decorated with two horsemen with Draco standards riding to left, four enemies below them; on cuirass, gorgoneion; on helmet, Sol standing facing in quadriga, raising his right hand in salute and holding globe in his left, around, stars and crescent, crest ending in griffin.
VIRTVS EXERCITVS; Mars standing front, head to left, resting right hand on decorated shield and holding spear in left; in field to left, lighted altar; B in right field.
In ex. ANT RIC VI Antioch 125

Though the mint of Antioch struck this type for Galerius and Maximinus; the obverse with the highly decorated armored bust was only struck for Maximinus II. Antioch was likely his principal residence from 309- 311, so not surprising this special type was struck there. This type may also have referenced the campaign against the Sassanids (not only the martial bust, but also battle scene on shield) waged by Maximinus (late 309-early 310) and perhaps also his desire to be named Augustus; which may have happened during the same campaign-- “at the last general muster he had been saluted by his army under the title of Augustus.” (Lactantius XXXII) Galerius recognized him as Augustus (mid 310) but since the troops of Maximinus had already raised him up, this was probably just a formality.



Here is a standard helmet from Rome with horsehair plume




Constantine I
A.D. 318- 319
19mm 3.1g
CON-STANTI-NVS AVG; cuirassed and helmeted bust left, spear pointing forward and shield on left arm.
VIRTVS AVGG; camp gate with closed doors and three turrets, across fields P-R
In ex. RP
RIC VII Rome 178

arch over the doorway and interesting circles on the turrets



here is a helmet from Rome with feathers instead of horsehair




Constantine I
A.D. 318- 319
19mm 2.9g
CONSTANTINVS AVG; helmet with feather crest, cuirassed bust right.
VIRTVS AVGG; campgate with no doors and three turrets; across fields P-R
In ex. RT
RIC VII Rome 167

 

Those are some fine LRBC helmets!

Some favorites from the Roman period(s):

RRC. L. Julius L.f. Caesar (Moneyer) AR Denarius (3.92g, 17mm, 12h), Rome, 103 BCE.
Obv: CAESAR. Helmeted head of Mars, left, to left: ·ꓘ.
Rev: B L·IVLI·L·F. Venus in biga driven by winged Cupids, lyre below; above: ·ꓘ.
Ref: Crawford 320/1 [ANS CRRO 320.1].
Pub: ANS RRDP, Schaefer Binder #19 (Processed, 300-399): p. 119 (ꓘ) & p. 121 (·ꓘ).
Prov: Ex Scipio Collection, Part III [Soler y Llach 1124 (23 Feb 2022), Lot 458]; Leo Benz (1906-1996) Collection [Lanz 88 (23 Nov 1998), Lot 407]; Kricheldorf 29 (3 Mar 1975), Lot 249.​

Probus Billon Antoninianus (23mm, 4.01g). Rome, 281 CE.
Obv: IMP PROBVS AVG. Cuirassed bust left, wearing radiate, crested helmet, holding shield & spear over shoulder.
Rev: ADVENTVS AVG. Emperor on horseback, Eastern captive underfoot. R-Wreath-(?).
Ref: RIC 157.​

I even love the relatively plain Late Roman Bronze Helmets, especially with big wild crests:

Roman Imperial. Cripus Silvered AE Follis (19.5mm, 3.14 g, 6h), London, c. 320 CE.
Obv: CRISPVS NOBIL C. Helmeted, cuirassed bust right.
Rev: VIRTVS EXERCIT. Two captives seated on either side of vexillum inscribed VOT XX. Exergue: PLON.
Ref: RIC 188; Cloke & Toone 9.02.016 (this coin illustrated).
Prov: CNG Auction 516 (18 May 2022), Lot 631; Paul DiMarzio Collection, acq. 28 May 2018 from Lee Toone (Hookmoor Ancient Coins); ex CT Collections (collection of Toone), acq. 15 Jan 2010 from Dei Gratia Coins (Dave Shelley) at York Coin Fair.​

Of course, I love all the plumed helmets on Late Roman / Byzantine AV Solidi and AE Folles:

 

Some of my favorite ancient helmets come from Constantine's VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP series from Siscia. These are called ridge helmets and are made of either 2 or 4 plates held in place with a ridge of various height.


here are some 4 plate examples




Constantine I
A.D. 318-19
18mm 3.0g
IMP CONSTANTINVS AVG; high crested helmet, cuir., spear across right shoulder.
VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP; two Victories stg., facing one another, together holding shield [wreath] inscribed VOT PR on altar.
in ex. BSIS
RIC VII Siscia 55

Object in left hand looks like a parazonium...also note how the spear breaks the obverse legend




Constantine I
A.D. 319
19mm 3.2g
IMP CONSTANT-INVS AVG; high crested helmet, draped, spear across r. shoulder, shield on left arm
VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP; two Victories stg., facing one another, together holding shield [wreath] inscribed VOT PR on altar.
in ex. ESIS•
RIC VII Siscia 61 variation

Draped bust versus cuirassed



here are some two plate examples...note these are also decorated with laurel.




Constantine I
A.D. 319
Ӕ nummus 21mm 3.2gm
IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG; laureate helmet and cuirassed bust right.
VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP; two Victories stg., facing one another, together holding wreath [shield] inscribed VOT PR; Victory on left holding a stylus.
in ex. ΓSIS•
RIC VII Siscia 59


this uncleaned example is special because of the wavy line with dots decoration...I have never seen another example.




Constantine I
A.D. 318-19
18mm 3.3gm
IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG; laureate helmet and cuirassed bust right.
VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP; two Victories stg., facing one another, together holding wreath [shield] inscribed VOT PR.
in ex. ESIS
RIC VII Siscia 53



The VLPP helmet of Constantine was also used later by Germanic kings.The Ostrogothic king Theodahad (534-536 A.D.) issued coins with the same helmet as the VLPP type. (see below--not my coin)



There are no cheek flaps, but the type is still recognizable, especially the stars in the right and left fields. The VLPP ridge helmet was a precursor to the most common type helmet in Europe in the sixth and seventh century-- called a spangenhelm. As late as the seventh century, a helmet was used in place of a crown in the coronation of Egbert, a King of Kent who ruled from 664 to 673.

 

Probus seems to have been a bit of a peacock. He can be seen in a whole range of outfits and also a whole range of helmets.

Here are a couple form Lugdunum.

The most common is the Corinthian

Decration with curved lines and dots like this seems the most frequent


though some have less decoration

The Attic type is a lot less frequent.

The curved lines and dots seems doimant at other mints too
Rome

Ticinum

Siscia

 

Egypt, Alexandria
AE Follis, City Commemorative s.337-347 AD
2.69 g x 18 mm
Obv: CONSTANTINOPOLIS, Helmeted and mantled bust of
Constantinopolis left, holding reversed spear
over shoulder.
Rev: Victory standing prow, holding scepter and
leaning on shield.
Mintmark SMALA
Ref: RIC VIII 17
Note: Rare

 

Bruttium, The Brettii
Ares/Hera

 

A couple Romas with winged helmets:

Q Caecilius Metellus AR Denarius (19.5mm, 3.91 g, 1h). 130 BCE. Ex Rindge Coll.

Antestius AR Denarius (3.81g, 19mm). 146 BCE.

 

I do have to chuckle at some of the helmet designs that are on coins and medals- both ancient and modern. Some of the designs are so sharp for flip visors that if the visor was flipped down and you had to look down at your feet or received a blow to the head the tip of the visor would impale your chest.