This
type is certainly scarcer than the general geometric
types, but is by no means super
rare.
It would be nice think that each
style of belt plate equated with a specific legion, or
military profession. But that does not seem to be the case.
Every excavation report I have seen shows a wide range of different styles being found despite the location being the base for only one or two
military units.
As the article stultus linked to above shows, these are mostly found in the
Noricum and Upper
Pannonia area (Lauriacum, Ovilava, Vindobona,
Carnuntum, Brigetio, Savaria, etc.). But they have been found all over. There is one (a belt end) found at Dura-Europos in
Syria and some from
England.
Decorations like this were most likely made in the canabae - the civilian settlements attached to
military camps - by civilian craftsman, including retired soldiers, for sale to active-duty soldiers. Soldiers would spend their excess pay or booty on things like this.
It is likely that something like the hare-and-hound design started at one
shop somewhere. The products would have then spread slowly through the Empire, at first by soldiers of the near-by legion. But if it was a desirable
style it would have been imitated at other shops. After all, a
good bronze caster can replicate almost anything.
SC