08-27-2013, 08:38 AM
A pilum with a lead weight, or even, as the right one looks curved above the "ball," a type of falx. The level of detail in the sculpture is too crude and weathered to be certain. My feeling is that it would be unusual to depict a spear being held in both hands and that a pilum would be a less than ideal weapon for a guardsman in close attendance on a emperor to carry.
Byzantine emperors are thoughrt to have had romphaia-equipped guards at a later date. The romphaia has been claimed to have been a type of falx. This has been challenged at least once with the special weapons carried by guards that are mentioned in sources being identified as Varangian axes. However, in a description of a rebellion against Basil II some of the usurper's imperial regalia was captured in battle, including the romphaia - if these were Dane-axes then how would they be immediately distinguishable form those carried by the probably many hundreds of Russo-Norse mercenaries also present?
Byzantine emperors are thoughrt to have had romphaia-equipped guards at a later date. The romphaia has been claimed to have been a type of falx. This has been challenged at least once with the special weapons carried by guards that are mentioned in sources being identified as Varangian axes. However, in a description of a rebellion against Basil II some of the usurper's imperial regalia was captured in battle, including the romphaia - if these were Dane-axes then how would they be immediately distinguishable form those carried by the probably many hundreds of Russo-Norse mercenaries also present?
Martin
Fac me cocleario vomere!
Fac me cocleario vomere!