I am back seeking help and advice after lurching into another 'lead mountain' project that stalled many (many) years ago. This time seeking help with Byzantine 'flags' and shield patterns for broad period 5th century AD to 1067AD. Why such a broad time frame? Read on!
I had bought some of the first 28mm Byzantines to create a DBA army for the Manzikert campaign. Two friends later added their unfinished projects: one an early Byzantine army (big 25mm Hinchliffe figures) that had been bought painted secondhand with idea of restoration. [I have only just started this restoration, a lot of years later, having just re-painted the first 9 HC lancers.] The other was a collection of unpainted Garrison 25mm figures and more big 25mm Hinchliffe, some suitable for early period some more 10th century AD from my perusal of Ian Heath's "Armies of the Dark Ages 600-1066'.
I have been consulting books galore from my little library (see list at end) and article by Georgios C. Koufogiorgos, "Byzantine Flag" which I collected many years back. This tantalizing article points to historic representations (not necessarily accurate colour or detail wise it is said) and to the work of late George T. Dennis article 'Byzantine Battle Flags'; the historic documents being the Joshua Roll (or Codex Pal.gr.431) as well as the Ioannis Skilitzis manuscript.
I also found a small collection of Late Roman shield transfer that I bought from Veni Vidi Vici and another small bunch of shield and banners from 'little big men studios'. (Though I doubt either will still be working transfers all these years later! The clear sections having clouded on the shield designs.)
So all this got me wondering if there are more accessible or recent sources for banners and shield designs as my little library is a bit dated (see below).
All constructive ideas welcomed!
CarlL
Other books / articles other than the two above:
John Haldon, The Byzantine Wars.
L.H. Fauber, Narses Hammer of the Goths.
Jonathan Harris, Byzantium and the Crusades.
Roy Boss, Justinian's Wars.
Robert Graves, Count Belisarius.
N.H. Baynes & H.St.L.B.Moss (ed), Byzantium
National Geographic vol164, no6, (Dec1983), Byzantine Empire.
Notitia Dignitatum?
Inspired thinking Sir! Give that Dave a medal.... but not too heavy he has enough to carry with all that editing work and his painting projects... Thanks Dave, CarlL
A simple google search led to these two examples (from same website)
http://lukeuedasarson.com/NotitiaPatterns.html
http://lukeuedasarson.com/MagisterOfficiorumE.html
I shall explore some more
CarlL
The above website is great inspiration but also some great investigative 'journalism' in that it explores how various copies have changed the colours being given for same page of the notitia see great example at
http://lukeuedasarson.com/MagisterOfficiorumE.html
Mr Luke Uedasarson (I presume) has gathered some interesting material.
CarlL
And this page is gold mine for cavalry units !
click on unit name takes you to what Mr Luke Uedasarson has learned about the unit and varying representations of its shield pattern. Fascinating.
see http://lukeuedasarson.com/MagisterEquitum.html
CarlL
And here is a link to Mr Luke Uedasarson notes about the listed Eastern Field army, with Infantry & Cavalry units, Magister Militum per Orientem
see http://lukeuedasarson.com/MagisterMilitumOrientem.html
CarlL
Apologies, I have got this researchers name wrong it is Mr Luke Ueda-Sarson.
CarlL
I like the notitia, hours of fun and lots of ideas
Is Luke still a member?
I have used the inspiration of the largely Late Western Roman cavalry shields, found in Notitia, for some fictional Eastern Late Roman (o/w k/a early Byzantines) which can be seen in the painting thread of the Forum. CarlL
and very nice too Carl