Coronae

Мыслевцев А.С.

Wreath or crown (from Latin corona, meaning "wreath, crown") is a headgear that serves as a symbol of power, victory, success, and glory in the ancient world.

There were at least six types of crowns:

corona civica

corona muralis

corona navalis

corona obsidionalis

corona vallaris

corona radiata

The laurel wreath symbolised victory and triumph. It should be distinguished from the civic crown, corona civica, made of oak leaves and awarded for saving a fellow citizen in battle.

Laurel was associated with Apollo and the myth of Daphne. It was used at the Pythian Games, whereas the Olympic victor’s wreath was of wild olive. Poets and victors could be represented wearing laurel; Latin laureatus means “crowned with laurel”.

Roman honorary crowns differed in the achievement rewarded, their form and their material. A wreath depicted on a coin, helmet or tombstone cannot therefore automatically be identified as a corona civica.

Golden Greek wreath. 3rd-2nd century BC

Golden Greek wreath. 4th century BC

Laurel branches are often used as a symbolic representation on pugios, gladii, helmets, and other equipment of the roman army and gladiators. There are variations with an eagle holding the wreath in its beak. Sometimes multiple wreaths were depicted on a single item. Additionally, relief sculptures sometimes depicted a wreath separately, without the owner.

Military personnel and Roman nobility often adorned themselves with wreaths: centurions, legates, senators, emperors, athletes, aristocrats, and many others. They wore them during parades, triumphs, official receptions, and especially to display a brilliant victory in battle.

Both wreaths made of real laurel branches and those cast in gold were used.

Scabbard from pugio with a wreath depicted. Carnuntum fortress. Archäologisches Museum Carnuntinum - Bad Deutsch-Altenburg-AU). Type II. 1st century AD

Pugio. There is a decoration in the form of a wreath. Found in the Roman burial ground of Haltern am See. 1st century AD

Helmet type Imperial Italic D. On the frontal part there are two eagles holding wreaths. Found at the bottom of the Rhine,Mainz (Germany). City Museum of Worms. 4th quarter of the 1st century AD

Among Roman military personnel, the wreath was common as a detail of the parade attire of centurions. There are several reliefs depicting centurions wearing wreaths. Sometimes, a medallion is placed in the center, and laurel branches are tied with a ribbon at the back.

Centurion wearing a wreath. Tombstone of Quintus Sertorius Festus from XI Claudua Pia Fidelis. Verona. Museo Maffeiano. Inv. no. 28160. 1st century AD

Tombstone to the centurion in a wreath. It is kept in the Rheinisches Landesmuseum in Bonn. 1st century AD

Emperors, as well as other high-ranking political and military officials, were often depicted wearing wreaths. Unlike centurion wreaths, imperial wreaths were significantly more detailed, lavish, and pompous.

Emperor Hadrian wearing the crown of civica. 2nd century AD

Bust of Domitian. Kept in the Louvre Museum,France. 81-96 A.D.

Emperor Claudius represented as Jupiter. Marble, 1st century AD; Vatican Museums.

It is worth noting the depiction of wreaths on top of helmets. They could be either an integral part of the decoration of the protective gear itself or worn on top of them. The first option appears more likely due to the textured representations in pictorial sources.

Bas-relief with a wreath on the helmet. Turin Museum of Antiquities. 1st century AD

Bas-relief with a wreath on the helmet. National Archaeological Museum of Aquileia.

Reenactment

For reenactment, it is recommended to make a wreath from embossed leaves attached to a metal hoop. Brass can be used as a material to save costs since a golden wreath would be excessively expensive. Gilding is welcomed for added grandeur. An authentic option would be a wreath made of live laurel. The laurel wreath would look most organic on a high military rank.