Byzantine Weapons and Warfare

[MARCENTIUS]

These guys may well represent Maniakes Army in Italy

The knight may also be lombard (Arduin?)
Yes some Berbers claim descent from Normans or even Vandals.

The Varangian is reconstructed from an icon in German private collection.
The original is in the site of our good friend "egfroth".
I have my doubts about the headgear that it is asociated with "Jews" in Byzantine Art.

Kind regards

Dear All,
Although many engaged in the Greenhill book, I have seen that I have to do some precisations about the comments on my book.
The plate did not represent the Maniakes Army but the army of Isaac Komnenos in 1057 AD, following the description of Psellos: they warriors represent Tauro-Schytians (Varangians), Italians (lombard and Normans) and Greeks, as described by Psellos.
The warrior with painted face is from the famous statuette of the piece's chess preserved in the Cabinet of Medailles in Paris, dated at the XI cent. AD. Some authors claim it a Italo-Norman, others a Roman warrior of the Katapanatos. In anycase is a italian warrior of XI cent. in lands under the control or influence of Byzantium.
The Varangian officer is copied by the cloisonné enamel in Residenz Munchen Munchen Museum. It is dated by Schlumberger at the X cent., by Wessel at XI cent. and by Nicolle at XII cent.
The headgear is usually associated with the figures of the Hekatontarchoi in East-Roman art. Usually he represents Longinos, a Roman officer and not a jew. Jews receive sometimes similar headcovers, but fastened and covering the heads in different way. Moreover jews are never armed.
Best wishes
Raffaele