Arms and Armour of the Warrior Saints: Tradition and Innovation in Byzantine Iconography (843–1261)

by Piotr Grotowski, Richard Brzezinski (Translator)

The question of the independence of Byzantine iconography continues to draw attention. Following extensive research on the persistence of Classical motifs in Byzantine art, interest has recently turned to the originality of the latter and its reliability as a historical source. This study examines whether military equipment (armour, weapons, insignia and costume) shown in images of the warrior saints reflects items actually used in the mid-Byzantine Army or merely repeats Classical forms. Such representations are compared with documentary evidence gathered chiefly from Byzantine military manuals. The author demonstrates that military equipment, being a vital branch of material culture subject to constant evolution, provides a good indicator of iconographic innovation in the art of Byzantium.

628 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Anatolikon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looks at 843-1261 for how artists managed contemporary reality and classical models. This is much more than an iconographical study as Grotowski has put himself into a position where he has to define what the reality of Byzantine military equipment was. Much of this technical discussion is relegated to the footnotes, but Grotowski uses a vast array of scholarship and there is basically an entire book underlying the main points inside this one. He ultimately argues that artists used what was available to them. This meant a greater reliance on classical models for art produced in Constantinople, whereas the provinces tend to reflect reality a little more. The saints themselves do not have a particular iconographic weaponry programme. With the exception of the bow and mace being rare (which Grotowski argues is both a result of such weapons rarely appearing in classical models and from, respectively, negative or a lack of Biblical connotations) no saint favours a particular weapon. Grotowski goes beyond just description however and attempts to understand what the meanings of the weapons were, suggesting that spears and swords have imperial and Biblical connotations. This is an impressive book and a substantial achievement.