Byzantine Weapons and Warfare

[Adam E.]

Hello
I've been reading these forums for some time but this is my first post. I have an avid interest in the Byzantine military, but have been struggling to interpret the texts and art from the period in order to understand Byzantine armour.
I've stumbled across some images of Byzantine military saints from the thirteenth-fourteenth century which I think may be of interest.
I found these and many others at this site:
www.metmuseum.org/special/byzantium/gallery_7.asp

The detail of the armour is quite extraordinary. Each of the three saints from the icon share similarities in equipment. Over their long-sleeved tunics their appear to wear vertically quilted arming jackets reaching to elbow and mid-thigh. Over (or fixed directly to) this padded garment is the metal armour: lamellar for the central figure, scale for the saint on the left (the third is wearing quilt or a kazaghand?) All three have separate splint or lamellar upper-arm defences and skirts, suspended by red stitching from the cuirass, as can clearly be seen. Also notice the (leather?) edging of the cuirass. This seems to be extended at the collar and circles the shoulders.
There is more to be written, but I am very interested to read how other RAT members interpret the images.

Cheers