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Roman Cavalry Helmets

Roman Cavalry Helmets cover

Roman Cavalry Helmets

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Pre-order. Available May 21 2026
$17.92 RRP $22.40 Website price saving $4.48 (20%)

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Description

Renowned authority M. C. Bishop investigates the origins, development, manufacture, decoration and use of the Roman cavalry helmet.

Roman cavalry helmets of the Republican period at first differed little from the infantry helmets and identifying them proves a challenging but not impossible task. In this study, M.C. Bishop reveals how changes to the Roman Army under the Principate at the end of the 1st century BC, not least the incorporation of auxiliary forces, brought changes, with cavalry and infantry helmet types soon diverging. Notably, the Principate saw the introduction of face-mask helmets specifically for use in the hippika gymnasia, a form of combined mounted training and display manoeuvres.

As with Roman infantry helmets, contact with Eastern cultures led to completely new types of cavalry helmet being introduced. As this study shows, this simplified helmet manufacture and ultimately led directly to a variety of post-Roman helmet types found, among others, with Saxon and Viking warriors. All of these types are described and illustrated in this ground-breaking work, featuring eight pages of specially commissioned full-colour artwork. This timely and accessible book builds on new finds and the latest research to chart the origins, evolution and legacy of the Roman cavalry helmet.

Accessibility Information

Additional accessibility information

  • EPUB 3.0
  • Conforms with the requirements of EPUB Accessibility Spec v1.1
  • WCAG level AA
  • WCAG v2.2 compliant
  • accessibility@bloomsbury.com

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The publication contains no hazards

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Table of Contents

Introduction: Origins - Terminology
Republican cavalry helmets: History - Description - Variants
Principate cavalry helmets: History - Description - Variants
Dominate cavalry helmets: History - Description - Variants
Manufacture and decoration: Workshops - Manufacture - Decoration - Maintenance
Cavalry helmets in use: Combat - Carriage - Ownership - Who wore what?
Legacy
Bibliography: Ancient sources - Modern sources
Index

Product details

Published May 21 2026
Format Ebook (Epub & Mobi)
Edition 1st
Pages 64
ISBN 9781472871176
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations 8 colour artwork plates; black & white and colour photographs and illustrations.
Series Elite
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

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