Subject: ὁπλίτης heavy infantry hoplite

Culture: Classical Greek

Setting: late Archaic, Persian wars, Aegean 7th-5thc BC

Object: helmet > Chalcidian

* Royal Ontario Museum > Gallery of the Bronze Age Aegean

"'CHALKIDIAN' HELMET -- BATTLE OF THERMOPYLAI

Lower part with cheek-guards made separately from cap and welded on. Note the thin metal; internal padding would have been essential. Reportedly found at the battlefield of Thermopylai, 480 BC.

Bronze, corroded (nose-guard lost). South Italian Greek type, not often found in Greece. 520-480 BC."

Metropolitan Museum of Art *

"Bronze helmet of the Chalcidian type

Greek, 2nd half of the 6th century B.C. ...

This type of helmet is called Chalcidian because early representations of it appear on so-called Chalcidian vases."

* Yorkshire Museum > Rydale Hoard

"HEADING FOR BATTLE Greek helmets underwent many changes over the centuries as some designs caused deafness and even blindness. The hinged and shaped cheek-plates of this Chalcidian style helmet protected the wearer comfortably whilst allowing him to hear commands."