"Zwiebelknopffibeln" del tipo Keller 6 da Aquileia

Abstract

This article studies the late Roman bulbous fibulae of the Keller 6 type in detail. Their quantity has greatly increased in the recent period, and thus they are presented in an exhaustive catalogue and are typologically classified into three variants. This type appeared in the last decades of the 4th century and still was in use in the first half of the 5th century. Their distribution would indicate usage by bureaucrats as well as soldiers. They have frequently been found at sites of military detachments along the Danube, as well as along roads in the interior. Their presence at important crossroads of northern Italy is noted, where it is possible to connect them specifically with military commands along the Danubian border. The problem of classifying such fibulae to the 6th century is also discussed.