Thracian Gladiator

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"Caladus, the Thracian, makes all the girls sigh."

Thus reads a scrawl of ancient graffiti on the walls of Rome. The Thracian that the scribbler was refering to was the gladiator Caladus, a warrior who fought in the Thracian gladiatorial style in the colliseums in and around Rome. Caladus, and other Thracian-style gladiators like him, would have worn helmets similar in style to this one.

Thracians were known (aside from making girls sigh) for these impressive helmets; Large crests, wide brims and fully covered faces, with either covered eye holes like this helmet, or metal meshing covering most of the face. They also carried small square shields called "parmula," and bore heavy greaves on both of their legs. Their weapon was a short curved sword, not unlike the ancient Spanish falcata.

Thracian fighters were named after the Thracian people, enemies of Rome. It is likely that the first Thracian gladiators were poor Thracian saps captured in one battle or another.

This reproduction is an excellent starter for any collection. It's made from a durable 18-gauge steel, with brass circular plates for the eyehole covers. The massive crest rises high above the helmet itself and the brass eyelets create a most unnerving, insectoid feel. A wide metal brim encircles the helmet completely, protecting from high attacks. In all, a gladiator wearing one of these must have been difficult to fight; You would never know where the eyes were looking, and the completely alien nature of the mask had to be unsettling.

This helmet is actual size, and can be worn with a helmet liner (not included: can be made fairly easily). Otherwise, it comes with a high quality display stand made of polished wood.