Kunst und Kunsthandwerk, Antiken

| 511 specimen of a helmet of the Montefortino/Buggenum type. Presumably looted after a military victory and presented as a votive offering by the Skythian king, Skilouros. Buggenum specimens are usually known as Late Republican Roman helmets. The clearly authentic inscription, naming Skilouros, king of the Skythians, who ruled circa 140 – 114/113 B.C. in the Crimea, throws new light on both the previous dating and the theories pertaining to the development and appearance of this helmet type. As Montefortino helmets were also worn by Hellenistic armies and it is known that the Romans carried out numerous military engagements in the easternMediterranean area in the 2nd century B.C., this may have been another source of inspiration for refining their own armour. From this point of view, an exceptionally significant and enlightening artefact, revealing new information on the antique military culture. P rovenance : From an old German private collection. Acquired be­ fore 1980 on the European art market. 268525 II € 28.000 635