Byzantine Armor

Here is a short list of the types of armor used by Byzantine infantry- and cavalrymen:

"chain" mail - a full or partial suit comprising of small, interlocking riveted rings
scale mail - a suit of downward-facing, horizontal small scales fastened to a backing
lamellar - upward-facing horizontal strips of horn, bone, leather, or iron; may be laced together or riveted to a backing
kabadion - a long, padded coat, sometimes with chain mail reinforcements; may be wool or other similar materials
kremasmata - 'skirt' of lamellar to protect thighs
pteruges - strips, usually of leather, utilized to protect groin, legs, and shoulders/upper arms
klibanion - a suit of lamellar; often of varying size, but typically protects the chest, abdominals, and back, with additional elements such as the kremasmata and/or pteruges

Too Many Projects?

Can there be such a thing as 'too many projects'? Perhaps. Right now I am: working a thankless, worthless job, learning Latin, learning Greek, doing Christmas shopping, and I just got engaged. In addition to these things, I am working on several pet projects pertaining to Byzantine history, namely: 1) collecting all recorded battles in which Byzantine arms took part in order to make a book one day; 2) attempting to construct a lamellar klibanion (a collaboration with my good friend Chris Mayo); 3) putting together an "Atlas of Byzantium" and creating the maps myself; and 4) forming a reference work of Byzantine heresies.

Phew. To answer my title question, yes, I think there can be such a thing as 'too many projects'.

Saint Nestor

This image of Saint Nestor is from the Church of St. Nikolas in Kastoria. Here you can clearly see the lamellar kremasmata (protective skirt) as well as the rectangular, not round-topped, plates of the klibanion. All in all, a superb depiction of a Byzantine military saint.

How about some maps?

Most folks are unaware where the Byzantine Empire was located. It is easy to remember the location if you think of it as the Eastern Roman Empire. If you are not aware of where the Roman Empire was, then, well, read an history book.

Here are a few images for the geographically-challenged.

Here is the empire just about at the nadir of its fortunes - ca. 1355.

Here is an image illustrating military provinces in the mid-empire.

Lastly, this map shows the Western and Eastern Roman Empires before the West "fell."

This is just cool. Although not Byzantine (I believe the reenactor is portraying a Sarmatian; for more info see http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/), one can easily picture the klibanophoros from this image. Wow. Just...wow.

Byzantine History

This small page is meant to foster discussion concerning the history of Byzantium, as well as inform anyone who stumbles here about the empire of East Rome in general. Any subject pertaining to Byzantine studies may be mentioned here, but most information will be over politics and military matters. If anyone gains newfound knowledge from this site, then it will be a success.