Relief from a mausoleum, showing Roman legionaries in tight battle formation. Helmet plumes but no central crests - perhaps legio V Alaudae (the Larks). Is that chain mail? Note that each scutum has a different design, which seems odd, since the shield design should be consistent within a legion.
One of Julius Caesar’s most illustrious legions was the V Alaudae - ‘the Larks’ - a nickname possibly derived from the distinctive helmet adornment of side plumes worn without a central crest, creating a profile reminiscent of a crested shore lark. The Larks disappear into history by the late 1st century, possibly the legion that was destroyed by the Sarmatians in 92 CE during the reign of Domitian.
Early 1st century CE
Glanum, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, France
Photographed at the British Museum’s exhibition ‘Legion: Life in the Roman Army’.
