The Celts by Italeri |
Scritto da Jakub Mroczkowski | |
This time I'd like to have a closer look at Rome's most important enemies - Celts or Gauls as they were widely known. And again I decided to mix sets 6022 and 6029 by Italeri to have a deeper insight into the subject as single sets are too scarce in terms of variety of poses . So it will be about infantry and cavalry as well. Both sets have mistakes but I'm not going to point them out here. I don't claim the right to review or criticize them but use them as a contribution to familiarize those who want with ancient history through my hobby which is collecting and painting figures. The timeframe of the sets is more or less the same of Roman Infantry and Cavalry by Italeri which is 2nd and 1st BC and it reflects the final stage of so called La Tene culture before the final conquer of Gaul by Julius Caesar . The general Celts' appearance seen by ancients was more or less similar. They were taller than average dweller of Italy or Mediterranean area, light skinned, blue-eyed with long red or fair hair sometimes plaited or lime washed so that it reminded horse hair and made a warrior look taller and ferocious.
Lots of helmets have been discovered in Italy in the region occupied by Senones and are referred to as Montefortino type. Spherical in shape, made of iron or bronze they had small neck guards, some had cheek pieces and plum holders and were widely spread throughout the Celtic world. Some say chain mail was invented by Celts other say it was developed somewhere in the East. Maybe it happened in those two places independently. Anyway it became popular among Celtic people around 3rd BC as they were great iron makers and blacksmiths. The use of chain mail, which was very expensive was probably restricted to aristocracy. A typical mail had two forms. Celtic type was with a cape (chain or leather) that hung from the shoulders. Another type had a form of a tunic with shoulder flaps in form of a linen corselet resembling Greek linothorax. In the Early stages of La Tene culture Celtic people used bronze cylindrical pectorals or, probably under Greek influence, bronze torso cuirasses Another important feature of a Celtic warrior is his clothing. They wore colorful trousers (braccae, braecci) and shirts made of typical checkered fabric that reminds Scottish tartan. When it was cold they wore woolen cloaks fastened by decorative pins. Their leather shoes were similar to those worn by Scythians. Classical decoration that comes to mind when thinking about Cetls is torc .It was a neck ring made of gold, bronze or iron. They were only worn by high ranking members of the tribe and were a status symbol. Sometimes worn on forearms . Although numerous infantry which was a main core cavalry in the late La Tene period played an important role in Celtic army especially in times of Vercingetorix. Celtic riders were of the richest tribal aristocracy. They fought with long swords and spears usualy protected by round shields which were more comfortable for fighting from a horsback . The Celts began to use horned type of saddle. They didn't know stirups of course but were very good riders employed by the Romans in the early empire after the Gaul conquer. So soon the most formidable Rome's enemies became her best auxiliary soldiers... |