The study of Late Roman belt accessories found in Hispania is a complex field that reveals the diversity and evolution of military and civil attire in the peninsula during the 4th and 5th centuries AD. These elements not only served as an essential part of the uniform but also acted as important symbols of social status.
Recent research classifies these belts into three main categories, based on the origin of their typology and their geographical distribution:
1. 'Non-Hispanic' Types (Cingula Militae)
These belts are representative of the standard military models used on the frontiers (Limes) and other provinces of the Empire. Their presence in Hispania is mainly attributed to the arrival of military personnel (Comitatenses or Limitanei troops) deployed to the peninsula from other areas of the Empire or who participated in campaigns. Their design follows patterns widely extended throughout the Roman world.
Representative Types:
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'Dolphin' Belts (Delphinschnallen): Characterized by a distinctive buckle design.
- Chronology: C. 350-380 AD.
- Notable Findings in Hispania: Palacios del Sil (León). Also parallels in Krefeld, Avoise, Sleaford, Richborough.
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'Propeller' Belts (Propeller Type): With belt plates often featuring a stylized design reminiscent of a propeller.
- Chronology: C. 370-400 AD.
2. 'Pseudo-Hispanic' Types
This category includes belts whose typology is directly inspired by imperial military models ('Non-Hispanic'), but which show notable regional variations in their decoration or in the attachment system of the elements to the strap. They reflect a local adaptation of imperial fashions.
Characteristics:
- Often use shanks instead of rivets to attach accessories to the leather, and may show different ornamentation.
- Context: They are an evolution or local interpretation of the more widespread forms.
3. 'Hispanic' Types
This is the most distinctive category, as it includes buckle and belt models whose typology is mostly indigenous and has not been documented outside the Iberian Peninsula. They represent a specific local fashion, often associated with the 'Culture of the Duero Necropolises', and suggest a continuity of local tastes and traditions with a "retrograde" character (i.e., maintaining elements of earlier styles) within the Late Roman context. Their use could have been both military and elite civil.
Representative Types:
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'Simancas' Type:
- Notable Findings: Simancas, Nuez de Abajo, La Morterona, Viladonga, Hornillos del Camino, La Olmeda, Villasequilla de Yepes.
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'Cabriana' Type:
- Notable Findings: Cabriana, Lugo, Huerta de Abajo, Monte Mòzinho, Liédana, Astorga, La Olmeda.
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'Bienvenida' Type:
- Notable Findings: Bienvenida.
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'Olmeda' Type:
- Notable Findings: La Olmeda.
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"Chip-carved" Buckles of 'Hispanic' Type: Although "chip-carved" is a widespread technique, some examples are classified as purely "Spanish" in this category.
- Notable Findings: Examples designated as "Spanish" in Figure 4 (No. 1, 6, 10).
Conclusion
The presence and diversity of these belts in Hispania, a province far from the great battle zones of the Empire, underlines their symbolic and functional importance. Their study not only illuminates the military equipment of the era but also the cultural interactions and regional particularities within the vast Roman Empire in its final centuries.
