Byzantine re-enactment

[Demetrios Vlattera]

Of course if someone made the effort to reconstruct something like these cataphracts, hmm....

hock: [size=150:1g7kmsny]Waooow! Sean Connery is a byzantine re-enactor!!!![/size]

[hoplite14gr]

Actually the face is based on an icon showing the "terrible" Basil while receiving homage from Bulgarian boyars. Nice reconstruction.
http://content.answers.com/main/content ... ios_II.jpg

Basil is the epitome of the warrior emperor but one must be filthy rich to reconstruct his armor. His attire was cheap except the traditional "kampayia" red boots. He was describes as having an aversion to luxury.

Kind regards

[Peter Raftos]

For some nice kit try:
http://users.bigpond.net.au/quarfwa/qua ... mepage.htm

[Johnny Shumate]

If these guys would lose some weight, it would take half as many scales to make their armour...
Johnny

[egfroth]

Only Quarf. He's the one in the multiple photos at the top. All the others in the group photo at the bottom are "normal" size.

And BTW, Quarf isn't fat - he's solid. Built, as we say in Oz, like a brick sh*thouse.

And he has the most magnificent Byzantine tent in the known world. It's known as the Quarf Mahal . . .

[Theodosius the Great]

Hi egfroth,

May I ask where you got your shoulder guards ? Did you yourself make them or did you have them commissioned ?

Today I saw these [size=150:13i4qm40]Knee Caps [/size]made by Deepeeka and thought they can possibly serve as shoulder guards. What do yout think ?


~Theo

[egfroth]

Well, I suppose you could get the Deepeeka ones, but they aren't quite the right shape - that folded up bit at the top isn't on the contemporary representations. They also look a little too tight to go on the shoulders. How much are they asking for them?

I made mine, and as I only used 18 ga steel (don't really need anything thicker at that spot) they weren't all that hard to make.

[Theodosius the Great]

You did a wonderful job, I must say.

Afaik, these shoulder guards make their first appearence in the early 5th century. I recall the ivory pieceof Honorius wearing them with a musculata.

Well, I suppose you could get the Deepeeka ones, but they aren't quite the right shape - that folded up bit at the top isn't on the contemporary representations. They also look a little too tight to go on the shoulders.

It was just an idea. Maybe one could be cut in half to get the right shape. I've seen this vendor selling it/them for $93 (and I presume that's for a pair and not just one.)

Thanks for responding.

~Theo

[egfroth]

If you're interested in how I put it all together, there's a discussion about it here

I can't guarantee it's historically correct, but it does work, and it does fit the available evidence.

[Theodosius the Great]

I agree that your work does look very consistent with the visual evidence, Steven. Thank you, again. I'll have a look at the link

~Theo

[Ioannes_Ahenobarbus]

As far as buying the equipment as a kataphraktos, my grandfather is a commercial farmer and might own enough land to total at least 16 pounds of gold. Maybe I can mooch off him! :wink: