Byzantine Weapons and Warfare

[Martin Wallgren]

How would a guard from the emperors guard look like in the sixth and seventh century? Pictures would be welcome.

Thanx!

Martin

[hoplite14gr]

In the sixth century most people take the Saint Vitalius mosaic in Ravenna as gospel but they shoe the guards armed but unarmored.
Only Osprey in "Romano-Byzantine Armies" has attempted to reconstruct one armored guardsman to my knowledge.
If you "google" Justininian you will get pics on the i-net

12 spathathrioi following the emeperor in the 7th century had gold trimmed white. One later mosaic in Dafni Monastery near Athens shows one.
I think it has been posted in this thread.

Purple decoration on uniforms is usually asociated with the Guard.

Hope I helped

Kind regards

[Ironhand]

The francisca was never confined only to the Franks any more than the sax was confined to the Saxons. It was just something that was more typically carried and characteristic of the group.

[Martin Wallgren]

Thanx alot!
I have got this crazy idea of recreating the outfit and gear of one of the erlier graves in Vendel and need to make a realy thurough research on all the possible inluences so this is one step in the project.

I will google Justininian and see what I will come up with.

[hoplite14gr]

There were always foreigners in the Guard but at the 6th 7th century there would probably be Getae or Lombards. None knows for sure what the Byzantines described as Getae at that time. Is interesting to think that among them could have been the odd Scandinavian even before the famous Varnagians.

Kind regards

[Martin Wallgren]

That is exactly why I have to look at armour and helmets an stuff to see if there is anything simmilar to the Vendel finds. If there is it would be Great.

And Geats are often refered to a southscandinavian people. In Beowulf the hero himself is a geat and is suposed to be a scand.

But I know we are dealing with myths and sagas here...

[Theodosius the Great]

Yes, it's Demetrios, from the Church of Hosios Loukas in Greece, and it's 11th century (I have the book).

Very pretty.

Thanks, Steven.

How would a guard from the emperors guard look like in the sixth and seventh century? Pictures would be welcome.

You mean the Excubitors, the 300 imperial guards stationed in Constantinople ? According to the Osprey book 'Roman Military Clothing (3)' the Excubitors were equipped in classical fashsion according to primary sources. They had bronze helmets, pila, axes, and clipei shields. They wore bright colors - scarlet tunics, gold-fitted belts, and high boots. If you don't have the book I recommend you buy it. It has color paintings based on literary evidence.

In the sixth century most people take the Saint Vitalius mosaic in Ravenna as gospel but they shoe the guards armed but unarmored

Interesting, I don't recognize the name of the mosaic but maybe I've seen it.

~Theo

[Martin Wallgren]

Thanx Theo!

Witch one of thiese three is it?
Link to list of books

[Theodosius the Great]

Hi Martin,

None of those four books is the right one.

The title you want is "Roman Military Clothing (3), AD 400 - 640."

Here is the cover (click).

Good luck

~Theo

[Martin Wallgren]

That one seem to be hard to get hold of!

I have tried all the swedish internetsites.


EDIT:Ah... found it!

[hoplite14gr]

Justininia the B*****d with his guards

http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/med ... tinian.jpg

Mosaic in St. Vitalios at Ravenna

Kind regards

[Nicholas Gaukroger]

Isn't that the one now thought to originally be of Theoderic the Great but "adapted" to Justinian after the fall of the Gothic kingdom of Italy?

[Chilperic]

No, that one is in San Appollinare* Nuovo, Nik. I don't think anyone has ever doubted that the San Vitale mosaic is of Justinian.

* Not sure whether that is spelled right. Can never remember how many Ps and Ls, so I just doubled them both!

Guy

[Nicholas Gaukroger]

Ah, thanks for the correction.

[Ioannes_Ahenobarbus]

Hey everyone,
I just have two questions: 1) what were the typical dimensions (approximately) of the individual lames, and 2) does anyone know how many of said lames it required to make a sleeveless klibanion?

A friend and I are planning on making one or two, so any feedback is appreciated.

Many thanks in advance.