The Roman cavalry helmet, found at the Hallaton shrine, was buried by a local Iron Age tribe around the time that the Romans invaded Britain in AD 43. It was no ordinary helmet. Decorated in silver-gilt, the crown features a wreath, the Roman symbol of military victory. The cheekpieces show the striking design of an emperor on horseback, trampling a fallen enemy. The question of how the local tribe got hold of such a magnificent Roman helmet has baffled experts. The three main theories are: that it was taken from invading Romans, it was a diplomatic gift from the Romans to the tribe or it was owned by a local man who had fought in the Roman army as a mercenary soldier.

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