Victrix Posted December 9, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 9, 2023 (edited) I'll be slowly posting many roman military artifacts with their ID and dating here. People can possibly use it for reference if they want to get into it. 😄 Not all first century buckles were large. In fact i suspect it was only a minority as buckles like mine are way more common than the large ones. This is a Saalburg type buckle, dated to the Tiberian to Hadrianic period - roughly 30s to 130s AD. See Bishop & Coulston, p.97, #15. Edited December 9, 2023 by Victrix 17 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victrix Posted December 9, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted December 9, 2023 These narrow tear-drop strap ends date to 120s to mid-third century AD and were used with the Dura Europos and Osterburken belt buckles on belt sets with long plates - solid or openwork. They were used in pairs as the end of the belt was split in two for its last few feet of length. 14 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victrix Posted December 9, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted December 9, 2023 Dura-europos buckle+belt plate, the plate would have held some form of spindle that got lost. The form dates to the Antonine to Severan period (mid-2nd to early 3rd c AD). 14 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victrix Posted December 9, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted December 9, 2023 These 2 mounts would come from the same general era. If you flip the top one vertical you can see the stylized dolphin in the centre of the design. They date roughly 150-225 AD.The top one is known as Klosterneuberg style after the finds at that abbey just north of Vienna. They would have been mounted on a leather belt not much wider than them. Just riveted to the leather. It is thought that the leather was often dyed as traces of read leather belts have been found on Roman military sites in the desert. So they likely looked like shiny brass or silver color (if tinned) on a red or black belt. 14 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victrix Posted December 9, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted December 9, 2023 This type would be late-2nd to early-3rd century. Mount either for horse harness or belt. 14 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victrix Posted December 9, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted December 9, 2023 The top belt piece is a piece of early La Tene/celtic belt The other item is a lorica squamata scale. 12 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victrix Posted December 9, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted December 9, 2023 Its a Saalburg type D-frame Roman military buckle from circa 100-130 AD. 12 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victrix Posted December 9, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted December 9, 2023 Belt plate 2nd-Early 3rd century. The decoration is vegetal - ivy or grape vine with leaves - common on Roman stuff and possibly related to bacchus. 14 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victrix Posted December 9, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted December 9, 2023 This is a shoulder hinge, Type F.v in M.D. Thomas' "Lorica Segmentata Vol. II: A Catalogue of Finds". This type of hinge was used to attach the hinged shoulder plates (surprise), of which there two on each shoulder. It was used on Corbridge type Lorica Segmentata which M.C. Bishop dates (in Vol.I) to roughly the last half of the first century - it likely began in the AD 40s and lasted until the end of Trajan's wars. 12 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victrix Posted December 9, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted December 9, 2023 This is a horse decoration phalera.The two loops are for the harness straps. Interesting one loop has been repaired in antiquity - attached with three rivets.It is dated mid-second to mid-third century AD. Quite heavy arround 140 grams! 13 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victrix Posted December 9, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted December 9, 2023 It is a variation of the Saalburg-type of D-frame buckle.They are quite early - Tiberian to Hadrianic (so, 30s-130s).They were used for either belt, not just pugio. 13 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victrix Posted December 9, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted December 9, 2023 A Saalburg type D-frame buckle. The tongue - probably in the shape of a fleur-de-lys but possible just plain - is missing.The types dates to circa AD 30s to 130s. The two hinge-lugs were placed far apart on the earlier versions and then closer together like yours on the later versions. So we can probably date it with some certainty to the early 2nd century, circa 100-140 AD. 16 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryro Posted December 9, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted December 9, 2023 Ooh, very fun! I really like the lorica squamata scale and the massive horse decoration. Recently I picked up this Greek shield boss that someone later added a loop to the top. The hole has me wondering if our soldier was taken from behind, as it appears to be going from the inside to the out: Weight 16.99 gr - Diameter 55 Then I bought this Byzantine (?) applique that may have been a shield boss but was more likely a decoration: Weight 17.26 gr - Diameter 44 mm And lastly, this strange tiger/jaguar belt Buckle from who knows when or where??? I thought the emblem on the forehead would make for easy work researching what this is, but so far no luck: Weight 2.63 gr - Diameter 20 mm 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerosmyfavorite68 Posted December 9, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 9, 2023 All very impressive! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPK Posted December 9, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted December 9, 2023 Very nice! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victrix Posted December 9, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted December 9, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, Ryro said: Ooh, very fun! I really like the lorica squamata scale and the massive horse decoration. Recently I picked up this Greek shield boss that someone later added a loop to the top. The hole has me wondering if our soldier was taken from behind, as it appears to be going from the inside to the out: Weight 16.99 gr - Diameter 55 Then I bought this Byzantine (?) applique that may have been a shield boss but was more likely a decoration: Weight 17.26 gr - Diameter 44 mm And lastly, this strange tiger/jaguar belt Buckle from who knows when or where??? I thought the emblem on the forehead would make for easy work researching what this is, but so far no luck: Weight 2.63 gr - Diameter 20 mm What makes you believe the first one to be a shield boss? I'm quite certain it's a part of horse harness pendant as the size and weight is to small for it being a shield boss. As for your wolf head , I've seen many zoomorphic roman mounts that were used as decorations on furniture/chests so it likely could have had that function. Maybe it was applied on a leather belt and it broke off which could be a possibility. Havn't quite seen this style on roman so it might be medieval but cool nonetheless! 😄 Edited December 9, 2023 by Victrix 8 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ominus1 Posted December 9, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted December 9, 2023 ..well i ain't sure what was used for what exactly when, but i like artifacts! 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Grant Posted December 13, 2023 · Member Share Posted December 13, 2023 Amazing 👍👍👍👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor LONGINUS Posted December 22, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted December 22, 2023 On 12/9/2023 at 5:36 AM, Victrix said: I'll be slowly posting many roman military artifacts with their ID and dating here. Fascinating assortment of relics, @Victrix Thank you for posting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavius Posted February 14 · Supporter Share Posted February 14 Culture: Roman Date: C. 70 - 120 AD Description: Iron Javelin spearhead. Legio IX Hispana. Provenance: Ex. UK auction January 2005; found in Suffolk, East Anglia, England. Roman pila tips... 9 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavius Posted February 14 · Supporter Share Posted February 14 1. Roman Phalera, c. 1st-2nd century CE. Often given as awards , decorations for horses. 2. lead for slings - c. 1st century BC. found in Spain. 3. Tip of catapult projectile. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victrix Posted February 18 · Member Author Share Posted February 18 (edited) Managed to buy a set of 5 roman (Dura-europos type) belt buckles from Mid 2nd to Mid 3rd century. Not the flashiest type but think of the stories these things could tell if they could talk🙂. Most of the buckle tongues made of iron degraded but on some remnants still remain. Edited February 18 by Victrix 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcuda Posted February 19 · Member Share Posted February 19 (edited) I have some military items but have always wondered what these are and if they might be military items. Edited February 19 by bcuda 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victrix Posted February 27 · Member Author Share Posted February 27 On 2/19/2024 at 3:58 AM, bcuda said: I have some military items but have always wondered what these are and if they might be military items. They indeed are military! Small scallop, or pelt, plates for belts of horse harness Dated to 2nd - 3rd c AD. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tejas Posted February 29 · Member Share Posted February 29 (edited) Very interesting thread. I have those two buckles. Not sure if they are Roman military or not. Both were found in western Ukraine, i.e. far beyond the Roman borders. If they are Roman, they could have belonged to Goths, serving in the Roman army. They may also be Germanic imitations of Roman miliary buckles. The top one is silver with engraved ornaments running around the edges. It measures 5 X 5 cm. The bottom one is bronze. It measures 5.5 X 4.6 cm When reattached to a belt, both would be fully functional. Edited February 29 by Tejas 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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