Imperial Gallic Helmet of the Middle Ages

Celtic craftsmen from Gaul first produced the ancient Imperial Gallic helmets. These featured a distinct pair of eyebrows that were embossed on the helmet’s forehead area. In the past, this specific spot was carefully and intricately made, as well as elaborately ornamented.

The helmet came with an arched neck guard that featured ribbings along the nape. There were projecting ear guards, decorative bosses, and brass trimmings as well.

The Imperial Gallic helmet was derived from the Celtic helmet. But despite that, the previous had more advanced and optimized features for better protection.

As time passed, where more battles were experienced like the Dacian wars, further developments to the helmet was made. The design and style improved, such as adding two riveted iron bars that went crosswise over the helmet’s skull.

An alternative to this design would be the presence of two thick bronze strips instead. These were connected to the top-most portion of a bronze auxiliary or legionary helmet. Experts suggest that this kind of improvement was made to protect the user against falx attacks.

These enhancements began as a field modification and were seen on numerous Imperial Gallic helmets. These helmets sported the enhancements against the falx, yet a few legionary helmets from Trajan’s Column were fixed with crossbars.

Due to its efficiency, the presence of these improvements became a standard element. They were considered a must on helmets produced from 125 AD throughout the later 3rd century AD.