EIR Praetorian Crest (and tunic) Colour(s)

[wmyers]

I have seen white and red helmet crests painted for Praetorian Guards.  Perhaps black?

Is there any evidence for historical colours?

I was thinking of purple (being an imperial colour, uniquely distinguishable) for helmet crests.

What about tunics?

[williamb]

From "Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome" by Phil Barker, page 58:  wall painting in Pompei red tunic, red cloak, red crest.  Arrian's Tactica mentions yellow crests for cavalry, scarlet tunics or other colors.  Mid Imperial tunics were white/off white with red cloak and crest.   The Notitia Dignitatum from the fifth century A.D. shows highly decorative blue and gold shields for guard units.  A Trajanic frieze shows a hexagonal guard cavalry shield with four scorpions - the top facing down and the others facing up.  There is also a drawing of an oval praetorian shield from the late first century which had a black or dark blue background, white or silver stars, moon and wings, and yellow or gold thunderbolt and lightning flashes.

[wmyers]

Thank you.

I hadn't read through my Barker book (nor the Osprey's).  I know there is scant evidence for Legionaries and various arguments.

I did find a few interesting miniatures with red, white and black "uniforms":

[Danger Close Miniatures]

I painted my Praetorians with purple plumes just because it looks good. Whether the guard had an unbroken tradition of formal uniform from inception to disbandment, or changed with each commander, is all guess work. There are quite a few references and pictures of uniforms etc but to categorically state the correct colours of things over hundreds of years is a bit silly.

[levied troop]

I think the most thorough discussion on Roman colours was given in Fuentes, N., "The Roman Military Tunic" in Roman military Equipment: The Accoutrments of War (Proceedings of the Third Roman Military Equipment Research Seminar), edited by M. Dawson.  I can’t find this online but there are quite a few references to the  article elsewhere. 

Fuentes interprets the evidence as showing Centurions were wearing a slightly more distinctive colour than the average trooper, usually red but other colours might be feasible. He noted that locally recruited troops may have worn a ‘traditional’ colour, mentioning black as a possibility.

But there’s limited evidence and no-one can be absolute about it. Go with what looks right to you

[wmyers]

I also like the look of the black. 

I had been thinking I could make several different units of Praetorians, each with their own unique colour combination. 

Simon Miller shows off some nice ones in black: