10-29-2013, 07:05 PM
Nice discussion 
Pavel will give precisions on what were his thoughts when he did this drawing, however I think about several points:
- the leather (?) armor harness is already visible on earlier sources, firstly on the 3rd century execution fresco of Dura Europos mosaic, on the leading officer (which already shows a good deal of artistical convention), aswell on an early 5th century depiction of the imperial court at the Domus of via Dagana, and on another 5th century amazonomachia mosaic (see http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg113/sca...es=landing )
- pteryges or poedones are mentionned in mid-6th century De Magistratibus by Iohannes Lydus as part of the globae used by the roman soldiers of the past, but the author says that in his time the roman soldiers dress like barbarians and barbarians like roman soldiers, only the palace guards are the exception
- the scabbard (and indeed the rest of the drawing) seems inspired by a figuration from bishop Maximianus throne:
http://www.lecardiologue.com/IMG/png/Cou...hJacob.png
The soldiers here have 'persian' trousers, only their helmets may be unrealistic at first glance, or a conventionnal rendering of a spangenhelme.
Maybe stuff like harness and pteryges were restricted to palace guards and senior officers?
Quote:If I can say my opinion, there are some things in this image with which I don't agree, but that's only because I'm really annoying, such as the chainmail (the leather parts I think were introduced later, are there any archaeological sources for them?, and pteruges that we can see in some iconography are probably only a classical convention). Also, the torque is correct but only if the soldiers depicted belongs to an élite force, if I am not wrong. Unfortunately the spatha I don't think is very realistic, it could be better if the hilt was on of the 4 types enlisted by Oakeshott, and its sheath doesn't fit archaeological finds, if I am not wrong.
By the way, I have to say that image give a rather good impression of a soldier of that time.
Pavel will give precisions on what were his thoughts when he did this drawing, however I think about several points:
- the leather (?) armor harness is already visible on earlier sources, firstly on the 3rd century execution fresco of Dura Europos mosaic, on the leading officer (which already shows a good deal of artistical convention), aswell on an early 5th century depiction of the imperial court at the Domus of via Dagana, and on another 5th century amazonomachia mosaic (see http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg113/sca...es=landing )
- pteryges or poedones are mentionned in mid-6th century De Magistratibus by Iohannes Lydus as part of the globae used by the roman soldiers of the past, but the author says that in his time the roman soldiers dress like barbarians and barbarians like roman soldiers, only the palace guards are the exception
- the scabbard (and indeed the rest of the drawing) seems inspired by a figuration from bishop Maximianus throne:
http://www.lecardiologue.com/IMG/png/Cou...hJacob.png
The soldiers here have 'persian' trousers, only their helmets may be unrealistic at first glance, or a conventionnal rendering of a spangenhelme.
Maybe stuff like harness and pteryges were restricted to palace guards and senior officers?
"O niurt Ambrois ri Frangc ocus Brethan Letha."
"By the strenght of Ambrosius, king of the Franks and the Armorican Bretons."
Lebor Bretnach, Irish manuscript of the Historia Brittonum.
![[Image: 955d308995.jpg]](http://www.ciberupload.com/uploads/955d308995.jpg)
Agraes / Morcant map Conmail / Benjamin Franckaert
"By the strenght of Ambrosius, king of the Franks and the Armorican Bretons."
Lebor Bretnach, Irish manuscript of the Historia Brittonum.
Agraes / Morcant map Conmail / Benjamin Franckaert
