"Sassanid Levy infantry head gear" Topic

Hello,

Are there any images of a reconstructed example of the Sassanid "round bulb" head gear?

I am just trying to visualize it. what kind of head gear is this.

A lot of images here:

link

link

I am trying to get a picture of a real one, maybe a reenactor wearing one.

" what kind of head gear is this"?
Going by the complete lack of evidence for this headgear in any ancient persian/sassanid art, I would suggest it was invented by the artist for Opsrey Men at Arms 175, then copied by miniature manufacturers. Most sassanid helmets found by archeologists are of the spangelhelm type.

Does this qualify as evidence?

link

It does if you want the headgear for Achaemenid Persians fighting against Alexander, but not for Sassanids 600 years later. (And a rounded cap hardly looks like the inverted flower vase worn in the image above).

The first time I ever came across those Persian levy hats was in Phil Barker's Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome, or Ian Heath's Armies of the Dark Ages. I'm not sure where they sourced these hats, but they appear similar to felt round hats worn by Iranian Luristani men.

Traditional Iranian felt hats:
link

Ok thanks

kinda like a top hat, vaguely

Most sassanid helmets found by archeologists are of the spangelhelm type.

If the hat/round bulb above is felt or of some other fabric then it is not surprising that the most of the helmets found are spangelhelm/metal types. I wouldn't expect otherwise.

The round hat of a Late Sassanid Levy Infantryman in Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066 by Ian Heath is based on Emperor Julian advancing against the Persians at Ktesiphon in the Commentaries of Gregory of Nazianzus, Byzantine, 879-883AD.

The Sassanid Levy Infantryman in The Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome by Phil Barker & Ian Heath is probaby based on he same source.

The dark band around the base of the hat in Heath's drawing is actually hair in the source. The cap is much smaller. The hand gesture of the wearer probably indicates he is talking to the emperor, so he is probably someone important from the city and not a peasant levy.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Just to throw a bit more confusion into the pot, my understanding is that the main evidence for globe hats was from monumental carvings showing high rank officials. Here's part of a previous discussion:
TMP link
My 15mm sassanids are all Lurkio figures and the only globe hats on them are on the generals, the rest are bareheaded or spangelhelm type helmets. Hopefully Duncan Head might be round soon with more primary source informaton as has Druzhina above…..

The smaller hat can be seen on the bronze statue of a Parthian Prince from the Temple of Shami, the Strelka dish portraying Khusrau I with his Court, 6th century AD and 'Khusraw's Dial', Klimova 'Moon Chariot' Plate.

The relief of Bahram II at Naqsh-i Bahram, Bishapur, Persia, c.280s AD, seems to show a larger round hat.

All these are of higher ranking types.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

I've found this to be quite interesting. Thanks to everyone who has posted.

There is a lower class infantryman with baggy trousers and round hat on a Byzantine Bone Casket, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,17.190.237, but this dates to the 10th–11th century

Druzhina
Byzantine Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

So, because no one else asked, why are there only 32 in the box when the "standard" is 48?!

The other 16 ran away?

What is HaT's illustration based upon? I thought Sassanian infantry wore mail, conical iron helmets, shields that were reeds interwoven with leather and were pointed at the top? I thought the levies were used as servants for Saravan and used in sieges rather than on the battlefield.

HaT's illustration is probably based upon the Late Sassanid Levy Infantryman in Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066 by Ian Heath

There is a pointed Graeco-Roman or Parthian or Sassanid(?) Leather and Cane Shield from Dura-Europos. Is there an image of the back that may show which way up it was held?

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

I would expect that it would be pointy end up.

Cheers,
John