Imperial German Bronze Zeppelin Forced Landing Medal 50mm With Symbolic Cockeral & Eagle

This is Goetz’ first satirical medal. The French made quite a clamor when one of Germany’s airships developed engine trouble and was forced to land in Luneville. Goetz couldn’t hold himself back from making light of the obvious over reaction by the French.
Obverse: The French Gallic coq is speaking to the German eagle, “Par ici c’est la terre Francaise, Compris-“ ( This is French soil, do you understand?). The eagle replies, “Sehr richtig, aber mein Schiff ist deutscher boden, verstanden!!” (Right indeed, but my ship is German territory, understand!!). ZXVI in Luneville, 3. April 1913 is in exergue. Reverse: A zeppelin airship involuntarily lands in Luneville as armed French troops scurry towards it and a French bi-plane surveys the situation below. Inscription: “Vive la politesse Francaise (Cheers for the French politeness). German Empire. Due to the forced landing of the airship Z IV (LZ 16) in Lunéville on 3 April 1913. Karl Goetz, medalist.

Obv: VIVE LA POLITESSE FRANÇAISE.
Airship flying left; plane above; below, french cavalry and infantry rushing to the zeppelin.
Rev: PAR ICI C'EST LA TERRE FRANÇAISE COMPRIS - SEHR RICHTIG, ABER MEIN SCHIFF IST DEUTSCHER BODEN VERSTANDEN!!! / ZXVI IN LUNÉVILLE 3. APRIL 1913.
Cock standing right arguing with eagle standing facing.
The H class Zeppelin IV, or LZ 16, landed at Lunėville in Lorraine on 3 April 1913. This Zeppelin was powered by three 160cv engines and stretched some 148 metres in length. With a maximum diameter of 14.4 metres, it enclosed a volume of some 21,000 cubic metres.

This landing could have been construed as a provocative act by the Germans, given French sensitivity over the territories of Alsace and Lorraine. Indeed Lunėville was the seat of the last Duke of Lorraine, before Louis XV annexed the Duchy in 1766, and turned the Duke’s castle into barracks.

Indeed the Zeppelin landed on the cavalry parade ground of the French Army’s camp at Lunėville. However, the Zeppelin was still undergoing testing at this time, and was carrying civilian engineers as well as military personnel.

The crew claimed that poor atmospheric conditions had led to navigational error and the low fuel carrying capacity of the Zeppelin meant they needed to refuel.

The landing on French soil does not appear intentional as the French were able to give the airship a thorough going over. General Hirschauer, head of French aircraft inspection, rushed to the scene to oversee the examination of the Zeppelin. German technical advances were thus revealed to the French before the Zeppelin was allowed to leave.

It would not be long though before the looming shape of the Zeppelin would threaten the allies in WWI. LZ 16 would undertake reconnaissance duties over East Prussia and take part in the bombing of Warsaw.
There an identical example in the Metropolitan Museum in the USA. Accession Number: 2009.266  read more

Code: 23602

Scarce Original Silver Medal for Graf Zeppelin's Launch of the German Airship LZ127 "Graf Zeppelin"

Weimar Republic. Graf Zeppelin launch silver Specimen Medal 1928 SP65 Matte PCGS, Kienast-408. By Karl Goetz. 36mm. TAUFE DES Z127 AM 90. Geburtstag / 8. JULI 1928. Bust facing slightly right, wearing suit / GLÜCK AB GRAF ZEPPELIN. Coat of arms of the noble lineage of Zeppelin, flanked by a boy to left and girl to right each playing with a balloon; in background, zeppelin. On the christening of the airship LZ127 "Graf Zeppelin" on the 90th birthday of Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin (1838-1917). Germany Karl Goetz 1928 Graf Zeppelin silver medal; Kienast reference 408. Nicely toned matte finish with original patina; rare this nice Rare Karl Goetz German airship medal struck in 1928 to mark the christening of the famous airship Graf Zeppelin (D-LZ127), as well as Graf Zeppelin’s birthday; Kienast reference 408. An excellent finish specimen with original light-gray with golden overtones patina; a scarce type. The medal is about 36 mm in diameter; the rim is stamped BAYER HAUPTMUNZAMT FEINSILBER (Bavarian State Mint Fine Silver in German). Early Zeppelin medals are very collectible and highly thought-after by many collectors. A scarce “airship type” medal by the famous German medallist in excellent overall condition; LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin (Deutsches Luftschiff Zeppelin 127) was a German passenger-carrying, hydrogen-filled rigid airship that flew from 1928 to 1937. It offered the first commercial transatlantic passenger flight service. Named after the German airship pioneer Ferdinand von Zeppelin, a count (Graf) in the German nobility, it was conceived and operated by Dr Hugo Eckener, the chairman of Luftschiffbau Zeppelin.

Graf Zeppelin made 590 flights totalling almost 1.7 million kilometres (over 1 million miles). It was operated by a crew of 36, and could carry 24 passengers. It was the longest and largest airship in the world when it was built. It made the first circumnavigation of the world by airship, and the first nonstop crossing of the Pacific Ocean by air; its range was enhanced by its use of Blau gas as a fuel. It was built using funds raised by public subscription and from the German government, and its operating costs were offset by the sale of special postage stamps to collectors, the support of the newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, and cargo and passenger receipts.

After several long flights between 1928 and 1932, including one to the Arctic, Graf Zeppelin provided a commercial passenger and mail service between Germany and Brazil for five years. When the Nazi Party came to power, they used it as a propaganda tool. It was withdrawn from service after the Hindenburg disaster in 1937, and scrapped for military aircraft production in 1940.  read more

Code: 23636

A Most Rare Imperial German Elite ‘Gardes du Corps’ Officer’s Cap, In White and Scarlet, The Very Same General Officer’s Cap of The Regiment As Worn By Kaiser Wilhelm IInd & Crown Prince Wilhelm of Hohenzollern

In the gallery is a portrait of Crown Prince Wilhelm wearing his identical cap of a General of The Guarde du Corps.
The most elite regiment of Imperial Germany, with officer's drawn from the imperial Prussian nobility including the Kaiser himself. A dress cap for an officer, as worn by a General of the Gardes du Corps (Regiment der Gardes du Corps). In superb condition for age, not faded and crisp scarlet, some natural age use wear to the interior, no moth, with some stiching adrift on one side of the extreme peak corner. In parade dress they wore the most extravagent eagle mounted steel helmet.
This is only the second Gardes du Corps officers cap we have had in 20 years.

The Gardes du Corps was the personal bodyguard of the king of Prussia and, after 1871, of the German emperor (in German, the Kaiser). The unit was founded in 1740 by Frederick the Great. Its first commander was Friedrich von Blumenthal, who died unexpectedly in 1745; his brother Hans von Blumenthal, who, with the other officers of the regiment had won the Pour le M?rite in its first action at the battle of Hohenfriedberg, assumed command in 1747. Hans von Blumenthal was badly wounded leading the regiment in a successful cavalry charge in the battle of Lobositz and had to retire from the military. Unlike the rest of the Imperial German Army after German unification in 1871, the Garde du Corps was recruited nationally and was part of the 1st Guards Cavalry Division. The Regiment wore a white cuirassier uniform with certain special distinctions in full dress. These included a red tunic for officers in court dress and a white metal eagle poised as if about to rise from the bronze helmet on which it sat.

Other unique features of the regiment's full dress worn until 1914 included a red sleeveless Supraweste (survest) with the star of the Order of the Black Eagle on front and back and the retention of black iron cuirasses edged with red which had been presented by the Russian Tsar in 1814. These last replaced the normal white metal breastplates on certain special occasions. During the First World War, the Garde du Corps served in Belgium, Poland, Latvia and the Ukraine.

Photo 6 in the gallery is the personal and identical Garde du Corps general officer’s uniform cap of Kaiser Wilhelm IInd that sold for 12,500 € last year..

Made by Eduard Sachs, special class {sonderclaas}

Photo 7 of the portrait Crown Prince Wilhelm in his uniform of the Garde du Corps wearing this cap. Crown Prince Wilhelm of Hohenzollern, c.1916 (oil on canvas) by Nedomansky Studio, Vienna (fl.1914-18); Museo della Guerra di Rovereto, Trento, Italy  read more

Code: 21480

A Most Rare Early19th Century, Georgian to William IVth Irish, Crum Castle Infantryman's Large Shako Helmet Plate

This is a super, and incredibly desirable large Bell-Top Shako helmet plate, from one of the small Irish Militia of the early 19th century. Their motto was 'Rebels Lie Down'. Surviving artefacts of this militia are so scarce that we know of only one other surviving piece of early uniform militaria, a shoulder belt plate, regimentally named and also bearing their motto.
Early 19th century Irish Militia helmet plates are incredibly rare, highly prized and very collectable indeed.

Crum Castle was the alternative old spelling of Crom Castle, County Fermanagh. Although the Yeomanry’s official existence ended in 1834, the last rusty muskets were not removed from their dusty stores till the early 1840s. With unintentional but obvious symbolism, they were escorted to the ordnance stores by members of the new constabulary. Although gone, the Yeomen were most certainly not forgotten. For one thing, they were seen as the most recent manifestation of a tradition of Protestant self-defence stretching back to plantation requirements of armed service from tenants then re-surfacing in different forms such as the Williamite county associations, the eighteenth-century Boyne Societies, anti-Jacobite associations of 1745 and the Volunteers. Such identification had been eagerly promoted. At the foundation of an Apprentice Boys’ club in 1813, Colonel Blacker, a Yeoman and Orangeman, amalgamated the siege tradition, the Yeomanry and 1798 in a song entitled The Crimson Banner:

Again when treason maddened round,
and rebel hordes were swarming,
were Derry’s sons the foremost found,
for King and Country arming.

Moreover, the idea of a yeomanry remained as a structural template for local, gentry-led self-defence, particularly in Ulster. When volunteering was revived in Britain in 1859, northern Irish MPs like Sharman Crawford tried unsuccessfully to use the Yeomanry precedent to get similar Irish legislation. Yeomanry-like associations were mooted in the second Home Rule crisis of 1893. The Ulster Volunteer Force of 1911-14—often led by the same families like Knox of Dungannon—defined their role like Yeomen, giving priority to local defence and exhibiting great reluctance to leave their own districts for training in brigades. Two loop mounts [one with old re-bedding] 6.25 inches high.  read more

Code: 23283

A Household Division, Welsh Guards, Drum Major's, Vintage Pace Stick. E.R II Period

Formerly used by the Welsh Guards Drum Major of H.M.Queen Elizabeth II . A pace stick is a long stick usually carried by warrant officer and non-commissioned officer drill instructors in the British and Commonwealth armed forces as an aid to military drill.
A pace stick usually consists of two pieces of wood, hinged at the top, and tapering towards the bottom, very similar to large wooden drafting compasses used on school blackboards. They are usually shod and fitted with highly polished brass. They can open so that the tips separate at fixed distances, corresponding to various lengths of marching pace, such as "double march", "quick march", "step short", etc. When opened to the correct pace length, the pace stick can be held alongside the holder's body by the hinge, with one leg of the stick vertical to the ground, and the other leg pointing forward. By twirling the stick while marching, the stick can be made to "walk" alongside its holder at the proper pace.

Otherwise, while on parade or when marching, it is normally carried tucked tightly under the left arm and parallel to the ground, with the left hand grasping the stick near the top.

The objective of the pace stick drill is to ensure uniformity in the use of the stick, as well as to maintain a high standard of steadiness and cohesion among the instructors. This meticulous display of drill prowess highlights the discipline and precision that are hallmarks of military training. Photo by David Friel - originally posted to Flickr as Colour Sergeant, Welsh Guards, with pace stick
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.  read more

Code: 25474

An Incredible & Substantially Formidable, Around 1,100 Year Old Viking War-Hammer-Axe. An Impressive, Beautiful, and Most Powerful War Axe and Hammer, Combined.

In superb condition for it's age, and stunningly conserved. The front has a fine blade, with the reverse made into a flat, helmet smashing hammer. For combat, as a middle-heavyweight axe, it could have been mounted with a single or double handed haft. In a discussion on axes from the medeavil age we had together with Howard Blackmore {deputy curator at the Tower}, and Dennis Ottrey {our former gun and armour smith of over 40 years} the service of the war axe in hand to hand combat was critical in all the major battles for over a millennia. The lighter wide bladed axe, perfect for deep slicing and cutting, the heavy axe, for smashing and crushing, but often the most formidable, like the hand and a half sword in the world of long edged weapons, aka the bastard sword, the middle weight axe was the most functional. At home set in either a single handed short or two handed long haft, it was almost ideal for all purposes, and like the ‘bastard’ sword, it was perfect {in the right hands} for all fighting conditions. The hand-and-a-half sword was known as the ‘bastard’ sword because in trained hands it was far more powerful than the shorter, knightly cruciform sword, and much faster than the considerably longer zweihander {two handed} sword. Thus the middle-heavyweight axe could well have been classified as the ‘bastard’ axe. Although in hand-to-hand combat the only ideal defence against the war axe was the shield {or, possibly, superior agility} not another axe, unlike sword-to-sword combat, where the best defence against the sword, was another sword.

Knowledge about the arms and armour of the Viking age is based on archaeological finds, pictorial representation, and to some extent on the accounts in the Norse sagas and Norse laws recorded in the 13th century. According to custom, all free Norse men were required to own weapons and were permitted to carry them all the time. These arms were indicative of a Viking's social status: a wealthy Viking had a complete ensemble of a helmet, shield, mail shirt, and sword. However, swords were rarely used in battle in the same quantity as axes, as few Vikings were of the status to own or carry a sword, A typical bondi (freeman) was more likely to fight with a spear, axe, with shield and most also carried a seax as a utility knife and side-arm. Bows were used in the opening stages of land battles and at sea, but they tended to be considered less "honourable" than a melee weapon.

The warfare and violence of the Vikings were often motivated and fuelled by their beliefs in Norse religion, focusing on Thor and Odin, the gods of war and death. In combat, it is believed that the Vikings sometimes engaged in a disordered style of frenetic, furious fighting known as berserkergang, leading them to be termed berserkers. Such tactics may have been deployed intentionally by shock troops, and the berserk-state may have been induced through ingestion of materials with psychoactive properties, such as the hallucinogenic mushrooms, Amanita muscaria, or large amounts of alcohol. Perhaps the most common hand weapon among Vikings was the axe swords were more expensive to make and only wealthy warriors could afford them. The prevalence of axes in archaeological sites can likely be attributed to its role as not just a weapon, but also a common tool. This is supported by the large number of grave sites of female Scandinavians containing axes. Several types of larger axes specialized for use in battle evolved, with larger heads and longer shafts.

Vikings most commonly carried sturdy axes that could be thrown or swung with head-splitting force. The Mammen Axe is a famous example of such battle-axes, ideally suited for throwing and melee combat.
An axe head was mostly wrought iron, possibly with a steel cutting edge. This made the weapon less expensive than a sword, and was a standard item produced by blacksmiths, historically.

Like most other Scandinavian weaponry, axes were often given names. According to Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, axes were often named after she-trolls. A bearded 10th century Viking battle axe that could double as a throwing axe from the time of the last Viking, English King, Eric Bloodaxe, King of Northumbria. Probably the eldest son of King Harald Finehair The first King of all Norway. Eric's name probably derives from the legend that he murdered most of his 20 brothers, excepting Hakon. This was an unfortunate error as, upon Haralds death, Hakon returned to Norway from Britain to claim Harald's throne, and removed Eric from his Kingship. His elder brother Eric then fled Norway to Britain and to King Athelstan, an old friend of his father's, whereupon he took the Kingdom of Northumbria in around 947 a.d. While the sagas call him 'Bloodaxe', one of the Latin texts calls him fratris interfector (brother-killer), but, for whatever reason his name was derived, it was certainly a fine example of the descriptive titles the Viking warriors had, and that we are told of in the Viking sagas.


Weighing just under 2.5 pounds, 6.75 inches x 2.75 inches  read more

Code: 25472

A Superb & Stunningly Beautiful Ancient Roman, Solid Silver, Serpent Head Armilla. Likely of a Centurion, Equites or Patrician. Around 1900 to 1800 Years Old. Worn From The Period of Emperors Trajan, Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus, & Commodus

An amazing survivor from the time of some of the most famous and renowned of all the ancient Roman Emperors;
Trajan (98–117 CE)
Hadrian (117–138 CE)
Antoninus Pius (138–161 CE)
Marcus Aurelius (161–180 CE)
Lucius Verus (161–169 CE)
Commodus (177–192 CE)
Publius Helvius Pertinax (January–March 193 CE)
Marcus Didius Severus Julianus (March–June 193 CE)
Septimius Severus (193–211 CE)

Being of silver it was the prerogative and use of only the higher ranking Roman as a sign of status. Silver and gold were limited for the use and adornment of only the superior status grade of ancient Roman, be they military or civilian. Made and used by a mid to high ranking military citizen such as centurion or equites, or of the governing citizen class known as patricians.

Patricians were considered the upper class in early Roman society. They controlled the best land and made up the majority of the Roman senate. It was rare—if not impossible—for a plebeian to be a senator until 444 BC. In appearance, they were chiefly distinguished from the plebs by their dyed and ornamented shoes (calceus patricius). A common type of social relation in ancient Rome was the clientela system that involved a patron and client(s) that performed services for one another and who were engaged in strong business-like relationships. Patricians were most often the patrons, and they would often have multiple plebeian clients. Patrons provided many services to their clients in exchange for a promise of support if the patron went to war. This patronage system was one of the class relations that most tightly bound Roman society together, while also protecting patrician social privileges. Clientela continued into the late Roman society, spanning almost the entirety of the existence of ancient Rome. Patricians also exclusively controlled the office of the censor, which controlled the census, appointed senators, and oversaw other aspects of social and political life. Through the censors, patricians were able to maintain their status over the plebeians.

Through the military ranks centurions were divided into grades. First Spear (primus pilus): The primus pilus was the commanding centurion of the first century of the first cohort and the most senior centurion of a legion. The primus pilus could be promoted to praefectus castrorum. On retirement, he would most likely gain entry into the equestrian class.primi ordines: They were the five centurions of the first cohort and included the primus pilus. They outranked all centurions from other cohorts. pilus prior: A centurion in command of the first century of a cohort, making him the senior centurion of the cohort. During a battle, the pilus prior was in command of his cohort. They would have been veteran centurions, who had been promoted through the cohorts.
Pilus posterior: The second centurion in a cohort.

Princeps prior: The third centurion in a cohort.

Princeps posterior: The fourth centurion in a cohort.

Hastatus prior: The fifth centurion in a cohort.

Hastatus posterior: The sixth centurion in a cohort.

Jewellery in the Roman Republic
The core ideologies of the Roman Republic, centred around moderation and restraint, meant that elaborate jewellery was relatively unpopular until the transformation to imperial rule. The law of the Twelve Tables in the 5th century BC, limited the amount of gold which might have been buried with the dead. The Lex Oppia, 3rd century BC, fixed at half of an ounce the amount of gold which a Roman lady might have worn. During the Roman Empire, however, jewellery became a public display of wealth and power for the elite.
Rings of the higher ranks were often embellished with intaglios, cameos and precious gemstones. Mythology and Roman history were used as a repertoire of decorative themes. Roman rings featuring carved gemstones, such as carnelian, garnet or chalcedony, were often engraved with the depiction of deities, allegories and zoomorphic creatures. Snake-inspired jewels held many amuletic connotations. In particular, snakes were associated with the healing snake of Asclepius, the Roman god of medicine and science.

54mm wide, approx 13 grms

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading  read more

Code: 25473

A Fine, Original, Bronze Imperial Roman Legionary's Military Armilla, As Awarded for Military Gallantry. Almost 2000 Years Old Donum Militarium. Worn From The Period of Emperors Trajan, Hadrian Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus & Commodus

An armilla (plural armillae) was an armband awarded as a military decoration (donum militarium) to soldiers of ancient Rome for conspicuous gallantry. Legionary (citizen) soldiers and non-commissioned officers below the rank of centurion were eligible for this award, but non-citizen soldiers were not. Unlike legionaries, auxiliary common soldiers did not receive individual decorations, though auxiliary officers did. However, a whole auxiliary regiment could be honoured by a title as an equivalent award, which in this case would be armillata ("awarded bracelets"), or be granted Roman citizenship en masse as a reward. This entitled an auxiliary regiment to add the appellation civium Romanorum (Roman citizens) to its list of honours.

A very fine circa 100 AD. Imperial Roman Armilla, around 2000 years old in superb condition with natural verdigris patination. It is incised and punched in typical Roman military style. A fine bronze Armilla bracelet with rectangular section and tapering terminals with stylised Phalera type piercings repeated several times, and numerous, typical military engraved lined panels, with hammered dot decor, and open ended flattened pierced spatula terminals.

Armillae were either gold, silver or bronze. The status of the recipient appears to have determined whether he would be granted a gold armilla or the lesser silver. Bronze armillae were given as awards for distinguished conduct to soldiers of lesser rank, but were valued no less highly for the prestige they conferred upon their owners. Armillae were usually awarded in pairs and a soldier could win more than one pair. They were not for everyday wear, but generally only worn at military parades or on dress uniform occasions like a general's Triumph, though they could also be worn at certain civic events like religious ceremonies and the games.

Roman military honours were not awarded posthumously, but those won during a soldier's lifetime were often proudly shown on his sarcophagus or cenotaph. The armillae awarded to senior centurion Marcus Caelius of Legio XVIII, for example, are evident on his funerary monument, and three pairs of armillae can be seen on the memorial panel at Villa Vallelunga in Italy which depicts the awards granted to veteran C. Vibius Macer during his years of active service.4

Military armillae were modelled on those worn by the Celts. The tradition of using Celtic-style torcs and armillae as Roman military decorations had its beginnings in 361 BC when Titus Manlius Torquatus (consul 347 BC) slew a Gallic chieftain of impressive size in single combat. He then stripped the bloodstained torc from the corpse's neck and placed it around his own as a trophy.5 The Romans were initially daunted by the fearsome appearance of the Gauls, whose elite warriors were "richly adorned with gold necklaces and armbands".6 The torc was the Celtic symbol of authority and prestige. By his action, Torquatus in effect took the vanquished chieftain's power for his own, and created a potent, visible token of Roman domination. As such, over time the torc and also the armilla were adopted as official awards for valour, taking on the role of symbolic war trophies.

Armillae were made in a substantial masculine style and produced in a variety of designs: a solid, hinged cuff, sometimes inscribed with legionary emblems or decorated with incised patterns; an open-ended spiral; a chunky, rounded bracelet with open or overlapping ends; or a torc in miniature. Armillae which were open-ended or had overlapping ends often featured knobs or snake-heads as terminal

Armillae were a type of wrist adornments in ancient Rome. Depending on the design, they could be worn on the wrists, upper arms, or together with phalerae on the chests of centurions.

The earliest and first Ancient Roman Emperors were the Claudian emperors, that were;
Augustus, Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), was also known as Octavian, and was the founder of the Roman Empire. He reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. The reign of Augustus initiated an imperial cult, as well as an era of imperial peace (the Pax Romana or Pax Augusta) in which the Roman world was largely free of armed conflict. The Principate system of government was established during his reign and lasted until the Crisis of the Third Century.

Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus 16 November 42 BC – 16 March AD 37, was Roman emperor from AD 14 until 37. He succeeded his stepfather Augustus, the first Roman emperor. Tiberius was born in Rome in 42 BC to Roman politician Tiberius Claudius Nero and his wife, Livia Drusilla. In 38 BC, Tiberius's mother divorced his father and married Augustus. Following the untimely deaths of Augustus's two grandsons and adopted heirs, Gaius and Lucius Caesar, Tiberius was designated Augustus's successor. Prior to this, Tiberius had proved himself an able diplomat, and one of the most successful Roman generals: his conquests of Pannonia, Dalmatia, Raetia, and (temporarily) parts of Germania laid the foundations for the empire's northern frontier.

Caligula, Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus was Roman emperor from AD 37 until his assassination in AD 41. He was the son of the Roman general Germanicus and Augustus' granddaughter Agrippina the Elder, members of the first ruling family of the Roman Empire. He was born two years before Tiberius was made emperor. Gaius accompanied his father, mother and siblings on campaign in Germania, at little more than four or five years old. He had been named after Gaius Julius Caesar, but his father's soldiers affectionately nicknamed him "Caligula" ('little boot')
Caligula's sister, Agrippina the Younger, wrote an autobiography that included a detailed account of Caligula's reign, but it too is lost. Agrippina was banished by Caligula for her connection to Marcus Lepidus, who conspired against him. Caligula also seized the inheritance of Agrippina's son, the future emperor Nero. Gaetulicus flattered Caligula in writings now lost. Suetonius wrote his biography of Caligula 80 years after his assassination, and Cassius Dio over 180 years after; the latter offers a loose chronology. Josephus gives a detailed account of Caligula's assassination and its aftermath, published around 93 AD, but it is thought to draw upon a "richly embroidered and historically imaginative" anonymous biography of Herod Agrippa, presented as a Jewish "national hero".286 Pliny the Elder's Natural History has a few brief references to Caligula, possibly based these on the accounts by his friend Suetonius, or an unnamed, shared source. Of the few surviving sources on Caligula, none paints Caligula in a favourable light. Little has survived on the first two years of his reign, and only limited details on later significant events, such as the annexation of Mauretania, Caligula's military actions in Britannia, and the basis of his feud with the Senate

Claudius, Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54) was a Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Drusus and Antonia Minor at Lugdunum in Roman Gaul, where his father was stationed as a military legate. He was the first Roman emperor to be born outside Italy.

Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was a Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until his death in AD 68.
Nero was born at Antium in AD 37, the son of Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Agrippina the Younger (great-granddaughter of the emperor Augustus). Nero was three when his father died.1 By the time Nero turned eleven,2 his mother married Emperor Claudius, who then adopted Nero as his heir. Upon Claudius' death in AD 54, Nero ascended to the throne with the backing of the Praetorian Guard and the Senate. In the early years of his reign, Nero was advised and guided by his mother Agrippina, his tutor Seneca the Younger, and his praetorian prefect Sextus Afranius Burrus, but sought to rule independently and rid himself of restraining influences. The power struggle between Nero and his mother reached its climax when he orchestrated her murder. Roman sources also implicate Nero in the deaths of both his wife Claudia Octavia – supposedly so he could marry Poppaea Sabina – and his stepbrother Britannicus.

Once the Claudian dynasty ended it was followed, most notably, by some of the most famous, historically, Roman emperors.
The era from whence this armilla was likely awarded and worn by a decorated legionary.

The Emperors;
Trajan (98–117 CE)
Hadrian (117–138 CE)
Antoninus Pius (138–161 CE)
Marcus Aurelius (161–180 CE)
Lucius Verus (161–169 CE)
Commodus (177–192 CE)
Publius Helvius Pertinax (January–March 193 CE)
Marcus Didius Severus Julianus (March–June 193 CE)
Septimius Severus (193–211 CE)

In very sound and excellent condition for its great age, but we cannot recommend any attempt to expand it fully open to fit a large wrist as it was once originally worn. 52mm, approx.17 grms  read more

Code: 25467

A Beautiful Matched Pair of An Ancient Bronze Sword and Dagger With Pierced Bird Cage Pommels. From The Era of the Ancient Greco-Persian Wars

It is incredibly rare to find two weapons that may likely have been made by the same sword-maker up to 3000 years ago, likely for the same warrior, and them to still be together today. Almost certainly excavated, two hundred years ago or more during the era of the Grand Tour, possibly from the same warrior's tomb or burial or an ancient battle site or sunken bireme. A bireme is an ancient oared warship (galley) with two superimposed rows of oars on each side. Biremes were long vessels built for military purposes and could achieve relatively high speed. They were invented well before the 6th century BC and were used by the Phoenicians, Assyrians, and Greeks. The bireme was also recorded in ancient history on the 8th and early 7th-century BC Assyrian reliefs, where they were used to carry out an amphibious attack on the coast of Elam and the lagoons of the Persian Gulf during the reign of Sennacherib. Over the centuries in the Persian Gulf the Aegean Sea and the Northern Mediterranean, ancient artifacts, pottery and the like have been drawn up by numerous fishermen’s nets, such as, for example our Minoan spears recovered by 18th century Cretan fishermen from the sea bed. See the picture in the gallery of a 500bc Greek bireme.

A picture in the gallery from a mosaic tile floor excavation in Medeina of an ancient Roman Villa, showing a bird in a cage, the inspiration of the shape and form for the pommels on these swords, that were likely made up to 1000 years before the villa was built by the Romans in the 2nd century.

Double edged graduating blades with central midrib. Hollow grips, the dagger with open panels for side plate inserts, the short sword with cylindrical grip. The short sword has a pair of rounded quillon crossguard with widened flattened ends.

The style of warfare between the Greek city-states, which dates back until at least 650 BC (as dated by the 'Chigi vase'), was based around the hoplite phalanx supported by missile troops. The 'hoplites' were foot soldiers usually drawn from the members of the middle-classes (in Athens called the zeugites), who could afford the equipment necessary to fight in this manner. The heavy armour (the hoplon) usually included a breastplate or a linothorax, greaves, a helmet, and a large round, concave shield (the aspis) .Hoplites were armed with long spears (the dory), which were significantly longer than Persian spears, and a sword (the xiphos). The heavy armour and longer spears made them superior in hand-to-hand combat and gave them significant protection against ranged attacks. Lightly armed skirmishers, the psiloi also comprised a part of Greek armies growing in importance during the conflict; at the Battle of Plataea, for instance, they may have formed over half the Greek army. Use of cavalry in Greek armies is not reported in the battles of the Greco-Persian Wars.



The battle of Marathon
The Persian fleet headed south down the coast of Attica, landing at the bay of Marathon, roughly 40 kilometres (25 mi) from Athens. Under the guidance of Miltiades, the general with the greatest experience of fighting the Persians, the Athenian army marched to block the two exits from the plain of Marathon. Stalemate ensued for five days, before the Persians decided to continue onward to Athens, and began to load their troops back onto the ships. After the Persians had loaded their cavalry (their strongest soldiers) on the ships, the 10,000 Athenian soldiers descended from the hills around the plain. The Greeks crushed the weaker Persian foot soldiers by routing the wings before turning towards the centre of the Persian line. The remnants of the Persian army fled to their ships and left the battle.89 Herodotus records that 6,400 Persian bodies were counted on the battlefield; the Athenians lost only 192 men.

As soon as the Persian survivors had put to sea, the Athenians marched as quickly as possible to Athens. They arrived in time to prevent Artaphernes from securing a landing in Athens. Seeing his opportunity lost, Artaphernes ended the year's campaign and returned to Asia.

The Battle of Marathon was a watershed in the Greco-Persian wars, showing the Greeks that the Persians could be beaten. It also highlighted the superiority of the more heavily armoured Greek hoplites, and showed their potential when used wisely  read more

Code: 24850

A Fabulous Knight’s Seal Ring, From Agincourt to the Wars of the Roses Period. A 15th Century Ring with an Intaglio Stylized Engraving of An Armoured Knight on Horseback Holding Aloft His Knightly Sword, a Fabulous and Beautiful Piece.

This is a really rare original piece, and it has been many decades since we last even saw an intaglio seal ring, made for a knight of the realm, that is actually depicting an engraved armoured knight as the body of the seal itself, but as one that is holding his sword aloft for combat, this must be the rarest of all.
Overall it is in fabulous condition with a stunning naturally aged bronze patination. Around 600 years old probably worn for a 100 years, or possibly much more. The intaglio seal engraving is superb. Armour-protected knights charged on horseback wielding their knightly swords and lances ten to eleven feet long (cut down to as short as five feet by both the French and English at the Battle of Agincourt). The age of the lance ended with the rise of the bowmen in the fourteenth century. While the devastating volleys of English longbow men had initiated the change at Crecy on August 26, 1346, it was massed bodies of pikemen that really thwarted cavalry charges, as they did at the Battle of Pavia in 1525. Large quantities of lances would also have been used at Agincourt by men-at-arms, the sword by knights and some men-at-arms. The small mounted French force at the battle tasked with driving off the English archers would have been equipped with this lance type weapon. The vast majority of the French men-at-arms, and all of the English, were dismounted but still used lances at Agincourt. The English had an advantage over the French at the battle however, because the latter had decided to shorten their lances to give them greater control over their weapons prior to the battle. This proved to be a mistake during the melee as the longer English lances meant that they had a greater reach and were able to push over the French. One account of the lance used at Agincourt involved an assault on King Henry himself." under the banner of the Lord of Croy, eighteen gentlemen banded themselves together of their own choice, and swore that when the two parties should come to meet they would strive with all their might to get so near the King of England that they would beat down the crown from his head, or they would die, as they did; but before this they got so near the said King that one of them with the lance which he held struck him such a blow on his helmet that he knocked off one of the ornaments of his crown. But not long afterwards it only remained that the eighteen gentlemen were all dead and cut to pieces; which was a great pity; for if every one of the French had been willing thus to exert himself, it is to be believed that their affairs would have gone better on this day. And the leaders of these gentlemen were Louvelet de Massinguehem and Garnot de Bornouille" King Henry V of England led his troops into battle and participated in hand-to-hand fighting, sword in hand. The French king of the time, Charles VI, did not command the French army himself, as he suffered from severe psychotic illnesses with moderate mental incapacitation. Instead, the French were commanded by Constable Charles d'Albret and various prominent French noblemen of the Armagnac party.

This battle is notable for the use of the English longbow in very large numbers, with the English and Welsh archers forming up to 80 percent of Henry's army. The decimation of the French cavalry at their hands is regarded as an indicator of the decline of cavalry and the beginning of the dominance of ranged weapons on the battlefield.

Agincourt is one of England's most celebrated victories. The battle is the centrepiece of the play Henry V by Shakespeare. Juliet Barker in her book Agincourt: The King, the Campaign, the Battle ( published in 2005) argues the English and Welsh were outnumbered "at least four to one and possibly as much as six to one". She suggests figures of about 6,000 for the English and 36,000 for the French, based on the Gesta Henrici's figures of 5,000 archers and 900 men-at-arms for the English, and Jean de Wavrin's statement "that the French were six times more numerous than the English". The 2009 Encyclopeadia Britannica uses the figures of about 6,000 for the English and 20,000 to 30,000 for the French.

The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic wars for the throne of England. They were fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet, the Houses of Lancaster and York. They were fought in several sporadic episodes between 1455 and 1487, although there was related fighting before and after this period. The conflict resulted from social and financial troubles that followed the Hundred Years' War, combined with the mental infirmity and weak rule of Henry VI, which revived interest in the alternative claim to the throne of Richard, Duke of York.

The final victory went to a claimant of the Lancastrian party, Henry Tudor, who defeated the last Yorkist king, Richard III, at the Battle of Bosworth Field. After assuming the throne as Henry VII, he married Elizabeth of York, the eldest daughter and heiress of Edward IV, thereby uniting the two claims. The House of Tudor ruled England and Wales until 1603. Queen Margaret and her son had fled to north Wales, parts of which were still in Lancastrian hands. They later travelled by sea to Scotland to negotiate for Scottish assistance. Mary of Gueldres, Queen Consort to James II of Scotland, agreed to give Margaret an army on condition that she cede the town of Berwick to Scotland and Mary's daughter be betrothed to Prince Edward. Margaret agreed, although she had no funds to pay her army and could only promise booty from the riches of southern England, as long as no looting took place north of the River Trent.

The Duke of York left London later that year with the Earl of Salisbury to consolidate his position in the north against the Lancastrians who were reported to be massing near the city of York. He took up a defensive position at Sandal Castle near Wakefield over Christmas 1460. Then on 30 December, his forces left the castle and attacked the Lancastrians in the open, although outnumbered. The ensuing Battle of Wakefield was a complete Lancastrian victory. Richard of York was slain in the battle, and both Salisbury and York's 17-year-old second son, Edmund, Earl of Rutland, were captured and executed. Margaret ordered the heads of all three placed on the gates of York.

A fine, ancient, but even wearable ring size N1/2  read more

Code: 25457