AN exhibition of what is believed to be Britain’s only surviving gladiator helmet has gone on display at Colchester Castle for the first time.
Archaeologists and historians believe the armour – which is known as the Hawkedon helmet in reference to the Suffolk village where it was discovered – may have been taken as loot by Boudica’s forces after Colchester was ransacked in AD 62.
The Hawkedon helmet was discovered in 1965, and although it was placed on display at the British Museum the same year, never before has it featured in Colchester.
Historians have said the piece of armour is three times heavier than the helmets which were worn by contemporary Roman legionaries, with the Hawkedon helmet worn specially by provocators – a class of gladiator which closely resembled a typical Roman soldier.
A senior curator of Romano-British and late Roman collections at the British Museum, Richard Hobbs, said the rarity of the helmet made its display in Colchester particularly exciting.
He said: “The helmet is incredibly rare and is demonstrative of the importance of the games in Roman Britain.
“It will give visitors to Colchester’s gladiator exhibition a unique opportunity to see the only surviving armour of its type in the UK.”
The Hawkedon helmet was designed to look impressive to the crowds who attended gladiatorial games and, as historical weapons expert and TV presenter Mike Loades added, would likely have been imported to Britain from the centre of the Roman Empire.
He said: “This would have been a striking gold colour and in strong contrast to the tin-white coating of the main dome of the helmet.
“The purity and zinc level of this brass support it being a direct import from the centre of the Empire, and underlines the level of investment in gladiatorial games, even in the distant province of Britain.
“The function of these helmets was to put on a show, to look impressive and to create the clashing sounds of a stylistic combat, hence the large neck guard,” he continued.
The helmet features as part of the ‘Gladiators: A Day at the Roman Games’, which runs until January.
"We believe an actual gladiatorial event took place in Colchester"
THE discovery of a rare helmet has suggested gladiatorial games were a feature in Roman Colchester, a curator has said.
Glynn Davies, who is Colchester Museum’s senior curator, said another recent find, the Colchester Vase, corroborated the conclusion.
He said: “This helmet is a fantastic survival, especially as it is the only piece of authentic gladiator armour ever found from Roman Britain.
“We were recently able to identify an actual gladiatorial event, that we believe took place here, from the famous Colchester Vase.
“To also have on display this helmet, which was worn by a real-life gladiator, brings the reality of Roman arena combat in Colchester to life.”
Michelle Burrows, Colchester Council’s portfolio holder for leisure, culture and heritage, encouraged people to go and see other Roman artefacts on display at the museum.
She said: “I urge everyone to come and see ‘Gladiators; a Day at the Roman Games’ at Colchester Castle. As well as the Hawkedon helmet there are Gladiatorial objects from all over Britain on display.
“It is a fabulous family exhibition and we’re incredibly grateful to the British Museum and all the many lenders to this exhibition, and to our funders, Arts Council England and the Art Fund.”
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