12-01-2008, 01:10 AM
Sorry everyone who asked questions about the stele; I completely lost track of this thread. Anyway, better late than never...
As Wolfgang wrote, he carries a bow while his attendant holds some javelins and carries a shield, but according to old descriptions of this stele before its paint faded, the man himself also had a curved dagger.
We can't see the servant's feet either, as the legs are cut off right at the ankle. The other stele of a Cretan from Demetrias shows the deceased wearing pointy shoes that reach only to the ankle rather than boots, though. The spot on the lower left leg doesn't look like damage to me, so I think it could have been the top of a boot.
The bow I am far from certain about, but looking closely at the stele and the pictures, I thought I was able to make out some faint traces of its shape. Here is the basic shape as I see it:
http://www.antiquemilitaryhistory.com/i ... halbow.JPG
The most visible trace is between his hand and his leg.
For those interested, I will be publishing photos and a full writeup on both these stelai plus some other information and discussion of Hellenistic Cretan mercenaries in general in a forthcoming issue of Ancient Warfare.
Quote:Was the soldier armed with bow, shield and javelins? Is this Greek or Macedonian?
Johnny
As Wolfgang wrote, he carries a bow while his attendant holds some javelins and carries a shield, but according to old descriptions of this stele before its paint faded, the man himself also had a curved dagger.
Quote:Edit: 1. BTW, what do you think about the footwear of the Cretan and his servant? Unfortunately the lower part of the picture is not well preserved. The servant is barefoot, but could the different colour on the lowest part of the left leg of the Cretan archer be interpreted as the top of a boot/sandal boot? Or is the colour of the flesh just damaged or faded away?
We can't see the servant's feet either, as the legs are cut off right at the ankle. The other stele of a Cretan from Demetrias shows the deceased wearing pointy shoes that reach only to the ankle rather than boots, though. The spot on the lower left leg doesn't look like damage to me, so I think it could have been the top of a boot.
Quote:2. What kind of bow do you identify?
The bow I am far from certain about, but looking closely at the stele and the pictures, I thought I was able to make out some faint traces of its shape. Here is the basic shape as I see it:
http://www.antiquemilitaryhistory.com/i ... halbow.JPG
The most visible trace is between his hand and his leg.
For those interested, I will be publishing photos and a full writeup on both these stelai plus some other information and discussion of Hellenistic Cretan mercenaries in general in a forthcoming issue of Ancient Warfare.
Ruben
He had with him the selfsame rifle you see with him now, all mounted in german silver and the name that he\'d give it set with silver wire under the checkpiece in latin: Et In Arcadia Ego. Common enough for a man to name his gun. His is the first and only ever I seen with an inscription from the classics. - Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
He had with him the selfsame rifle you see with him now, all mounted in german silver and the name that he\'d give it set with silver wire under the checkpiece in latin: Et In Arcadia Ego. Common enough for a man to name his gun. His is the first and only ever I seen with an inscription from the classics. - Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian
