The Byzantine weaponry and equipment in the Homilies of St. Gregory Nazianzus (paris.gr. 510) Cover Image

Византийското оръжие и снаряжение в „Беседи на Григорий Назиански“ (Paris.gr. 510)
The Byzantine weaponry and equipment in the Homilies of St. Gregory Nazianzus (paris.gr. 510)

Author(s): Valeri Yotov
Subject(s): History, Archaeology, Cultural history, Military history, Middle Ages, 6th to 12th Centuries
Published by: Великотърновски университет „Св. св. Кирил и Методий”
Keywords: Homilies of St. Gregory of Nazianzus; Byzantine manuscripts; Byzantine Weaponry and Equipment; shields; stirrups.

Summary/Abstract: The author stop attention to the part of the illustrations they are presented Weaponry and Equipment in the famous manuscript “The Homilies of St. Gregory of Nazianzus” (Paris.gr.510) – completed in Constantinople in 879–882.The shields have are usually of round shape or have oval one. Basically, they are painted in red and much rarely in blue. They are outlined by a golden or blue stripe. Their decoration is difficult to be determined but some geometric forms and simple wavy lines or vine branches. The shields of the infantry soldiers are larger, with a diameter of about 1,00 m, while these of the cavalry men are smaller – about 0,50 м. Comparing the already established types of Byzantine swords named “Garabonc Type” (five examples; dated to the second half of 9 th century), the author concluded that part of the miniatures in the Homilies are close parallels. Comparing images of stirrups in the Homilies, the author assumed that the triangular shape – so called Magyars stirrups, was familiar to the masters of Byzantine miniatures. The analyses of the art parallels in the Homilies helps to add some arguments, which support to determine some weaponry that have been discovered either during regular excavation or by chance.

  • Issue Year: XXVI/2018
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 244-253
  • Page Count: 10
  • Language: Bulgarian
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