Byzantine Armor and arms during the 13th Century

[Urselius]

In the period native Byzantine styles of arms and armour seem to have declined in importance. The main influences on Byzantine warfare appear to have been Italian, on the one hand and Turco-Mongol on the other.

So is that a new trend? Republican helmets were Celtic, by the Tetrarchy they were Persian. Spatahe were also derived from germanic or Celtic examples, the gladius was from Spain I think? Clothing by the Tetrarchy was Egyption fashion, later we hear of Gothic, herulic and Persian items.. Anything new therefore?

Yes and no. Lamellar armour was of central Asian origins, as was, probably, splint armour for limbs. The Byzantines in the early Medieval period adopted these elements and managed to produce armour superficially resembling Classical muscle cuirasses and pteruges. In the later period this "Byzantinization" of appearance was much less pronounced, Byzantine light cavalry with khaftan-like tunics, Turkish bows and killic-like sabres were indistinguishable from their Turkish equivalents, Byzantine heavy cavalry, using imported Italian armour and weapons, were much the same, visually, as Italian medium-heavy cavalry. Byzantium had lost the cultural and manufacturing means to modify and particularise outside influences, they were just adopted wholesale.