Two iron helmets covered with silver foil tell us about the military past of Aquileia, born as a Roman base in view of the expansion of the Empire to the east.

The older of the two helmets was found in 1968 inside a cistern, almost completely devoid of its precious coating. The horizontal neck roll provides important information on the warrior's way of fighting: it indicates that the soldier was fighting in an inclined position, almost curled up on himself.

In use since the 1st century BC. during the parades, these helmets were transformed into accessories with a strong visual impact thanks to the application of a crest made of colorful bristles.