07-14-2015, 07:12 AM
In Komnenian period written sources, the Byzantine heavy infantryman is called the kontophoros or lonchephoros (i.e. spear-bearer).
The Byzantine-Greek use of the word skouta should be viewed in the same light as the Spanish/Portuguese use of the word escudo, as a generalised word meaning 'shield'.
The Byzantine armed forces retained many archaisms of nomenclature. The Byzantine skoutatoi used round - dished - shields or, after c. 900, kite-shields they did not employ the Roman scutum. Also Byzantine peltasts were not necessarily primarily skirmishers, the true Byzantine skirmish light infantry (archers, javelineers, slingers) were called psiloi.
I think that the use of the word klivanion, like cataphractos, was nuanced. Just like 'harness' in English can mean armour - a knight in complete harness - or any construct involving straps and buckles - such as horse harness. The Greek words could be used in various ways, klivanion could be used as a general term for armour, but was also used as a specific term for a cuirass of lamellar - there were specific terms for scale and mail armour also. After all contemporary English writers, some of whom were eyewitnesses, spoke of the Napoleonic French cuirassiers wearing "mail" - when describing plate armour. See: Dawson, Timothy: Kresmasmata, Kabbadion, Klibanion: Some Aspects of Middle Byzantine Military Equipment Reconsidered, Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 22 (1998), pp. 38–50.
The Byzantine-Greek use of the word skouta should be viewed in the same light as the Spanish/Portuguese use of the word escudo, as a generalised word meaning 'shield'.
The Byzantine armed forces retained many archaisms of nomenclature. The Byzantine skoutatoi used round - dished - shields or, after c. 900, kite-shields they did not employ the Roman scutum. Also Byzantine peltasts were not necessarily primarily skirmishers, the true Byzantine skirmish light infantry (archers, javelineers, slingers) were called psiloi.
I think that the use of the word klivanion, like cataphractos, was nuanced. Just like 'harness' in English can mean armour - a knight in complete harness - or any construct involving straps and buckles - such as horse harness. The Greek words could be used in various ways, klivanion could be used as a general term for armour, but was also used as a specific term for a cuirass of lamellar - there were specific terms for scale and mail armour also. After all contemporary English writers, some of whom were eyewitnesses, spoke of the Napoleonic French cuirassiers wearing "mail" - when describing plate armour. See: Dawson, Timothy: Kresmasmata, Kabbadion, Klibanion: Some Aspects of Middle Byzantine Military Equipment Reconsidered, Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 22 (1998), pp. 38–50.
Martin
Fac me cocleario vomere!
Fac me cocleario vomere!
