Collection particulière allemande

Royal-Athena Galleries, New York

Collection Christian Levett, Musée d'Art Classique de Mougins, acquis en 2009

Musée d'Art Classique de Mougins (MACM), Mougins, France, juin 2011-août 2023 (Inv. n° MMoCA287)

J. M. Eisenberg, Art of the Ancient World, Royal-Athena Galleries, 2010, vol. 21 p. 44, fig. 99

M. Burns, "Graeco-Italic Militaria" dans M. Merrony (ed.), Mougins Museum of Classical Art, France, 2011, p. 210, n°86

R. Hixenbaugh, dans R. Hixenbaugh (ed.), Ancient Greek Helmets : A Complete Guide and Catalogue, 2019, p. 533, H255

The pilos helmet reproduces the conical shape of the Greek felt cap, sometimes worn beneath a bronze helmet. Developed in the context of the Peloponnesian War, it became widespread due to its simple and economical manufacture, and quickly spread throughout the Hellenistic world.

Its rise reflects an evolution in military tactics: faced with the growing need for a clear field of vision and better auditory perception on the battlefield, the pilos gradually replaced the Corinthian helmet. It became the preferred equipment of Macedonian cavalry.

The uniqueness of this example lies in its impressive pair of tall horns made of cut sheet metal, riveted on either side of a crest holder, a device designed to amplify the warrior’s terrifying appearance. This form, typical of southern Italy, is characteristic of the Samnites in the 4th century BCE, who wore it together with armor adorned with three discs arranged in an inverted triangle.