Marine archaeologists have uncovered a rare Roman-era helmet from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea that was lost during an ancient naval battle in 241 BC.
The military helmet, in an “extraordinary state of preservation”, was recovered from the waters of the Egadi Islands by deep-sea divers who were part of the Society for the Documentation of Submerged Sites.
It is a nearly complete specimen of the "Montefortino" helmet type, commonly used during the time, and stands out due to its well-preserved cheek pieces, researchers say.
"The 'Montefortino' helmet is one of the most beautiful and complete ever recovered," said Francesco Paolo Scarpinato, regional councillor for cultural heritage.
Celts introduced this type of helmet to the Romans, and it became a common choice from the fourth century BC through the first century AD, researchers say.
Archaeologists suspect the helmet was likely lost during the battle of the Aegades of 241 BC, which took place in the first Punic War between Rome and Carthage.
Historical sources suggest the Carthaginians outnumbered the Roman army during this battle, but the better-trained Romans defeated them.
This led to Carthage surrendering Sicily, with which the First Punic War came to an end after over two decades.
The end of the long and costly war established Rome as the dominant power in the Western Mediterranean.
“These finds not only enrich the historical knowledge of the battle of 241 BC, but strengthen the image of our Island as the guardian of a unique cultural heritage in the world,” Mr Scarpinato said.
From the same marine archaeological site, divers also uncovered a large bronze handle of “uncertain use” dating back to the fifth century AD.
They also performed CT X-ray scans on about thirty metal artefacts previously found at the site, heavily covered with encrustations.
These artefacts include weapons such as swords, spears and javelins, used in the battle of 241 BC that have remained underwater for centuries guarded by the seabed.
They may have ended up in the sea after a Roman ship was captured by the Carthaginians during the war, archaeologists suspect.
One of the items recovered during a previous campaign was also cleaned and found to bear the inscription "Ser.Solpicio C.F. Quaestor Probavi(t)", which archaeologists suspect points to Gaius Sulpicius, a Roman magistrate since 243 BC, including during the middle of the First Punic War.
