Download or read book Byzantine Cavalryman C 900 1204 written by Timothy Dawson and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2009-08-18 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Osprey's study of the Byzantine cavalrymen, who were regarded as the elite arm of the military during the Middle Byzantine period (867-1204). The cavalry executed high speed reconnaissance, agile arrow barrages and crippling blows to enemy formations. Its ranks were filled primarily through direct recruitment or hereditary service by holders of military lands, but in times of crisis irregulars would be temporarily enlisted. Few books provide any accessible study of the medieval Romaic soldier's life, and this colorful addition to the Warrior series seeks to redress this imbalance. Offering a thorough and detailed examination of their training, weaponry, dress and daily life, this book re-affirms the importance of cavalry troops in military victories of the period. Making use of original Greek source material, and featuring unpublished manuscript images, this follow-on volume to Warrior 118 Byzantine Infantryman c.900-1204 brings the world of the Byzantine cavalryman vividly to life.
Download or read book Byzantine Infantryman written by Timothy Dawson and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2007-06-19 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Osprey's survey of Byzantine infantrymen during the Middle Ages. Having been trained to operate in small, highly mobile eight-man units adept at living off the land whilst on campaign, the Byzantine infantryman was a formidable foe. Built on a strong belief system that emphasized stealth, surprise, swift maneuvering, and overwhelming force, the Byzantine infantryman was trained in survival, sword, spear and archery techniques, as well as land and sea combat and fighting within the foulkon "turtle" formation. This book, written by Timothy Dawson, an expert in the training and techniques of the Byzantine Army, details the everyday experience of the infantryman from his recruitment, through his twice-a-day training regime, to his encounters with his enemies.
Download or read book Byzantine Imperial Guardsmen 925 1025 written by Raffaele D’Amato and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2012-08-21 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The hundred-year period ending in 1025, from the reign of the Emperor Constantine VII to that of Basil II 'the Bulgar-Slayer', encompassed the last great era of Byzantine aggression and dominance in the Near East and Balkans. During that time, a succession of soldier-emperors challenged and defeated an array of opponents on land and at sea and reconquered vast swathes of territory. At the heart of the Emperors' forces were the professional, highly mobile Tagmata or Imperial Guard regiments, originally formed to guard the Emperor1s person in the capital but invariably deployed as elite combat troops. Joining these heavy cavalry units, were a variety of exotic mercenary units recruited from foreigners, notably the legendary Varangians. Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork, this lively study sheds new light on the colourful regiments of the Byzantine Imperial Guard, the formidable warriors who provided the Byzantine emperors with an insurance policy in the capital, and the elite of their field armies when on campaign.
Download or read book Manzikert 1071 written by David Nicolle and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-08-20 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Saljuq Turks' defeat of the Byzantines at Manzikert opened the way for their conquest of Anatolia and domination of the Near East. On 26 August 1071 a large Byzantine army under Emperor Romanus IV met the Saljuq Turk forces of Sultan Alp Arslan near the town of Manzikert. The battle ended in a decisive defeat for the Byzantine forces, with the Byzantine emperor captured and much of his fabled Varangian guard killed. This battle is seen as the primary trigger of the Crusades, and as the moment when the power of the East Roman or Byzantine Empire was irreparably broken. The Saljuq victory opened up Anatolia to Turkish-Islamic conquest, which was eventually followed by the establishment of the Ottoman state. Nevertheless the battle itself was the culmination of a Christian Byzantine offensive, intended to strengthen the eastern frontiers of the empire and re-establish Byzantine domination over Armenia and northern Mesopotamia. Turkish Saljuq victory was in no sense inevitable and might, in fact, have come as something of a surprise to those who achieved it. As David Nicolle outlines in this highly illustrated account, it was not only the battle of Manzikert that had such profound and far-reaching consequences, many of these stemmed from the debilitating Byzantine civil war which followed and was a direct consequence of the defeat.
Download or read book A Companion to Byzantine Science written by and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2020-01-13 with total page 674 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Science in Byzantium has rarely been systematically explored. A first of its kind, this collection of essays highlights the disciplines, achievements, and contexts of Byzantine science across the eleven centuries of the Byzantine empire. After an introduction on science in Byzantium and the 21st century, and a study of Christianization and the teaching of science in Byzantium, it offers a comprehensive and up-to-date survey of the scientific disciplines cultivated in Byzantium, from the exact to the natural sciences, medicine, polemology, and the occult sciences. The volume showcases the diversity and vivacity of the varied scientific endeavours in the Byzantine world across its long history, and aims to bring the field into broader conversations within Byzantine studies, medieval studies, and history of science. Contributors are Fabio Acerbi, Anne-Laurence Caudano, Gonzalo Andreotti Cruz, Katerina Ierodiakonou, Herve Inglebert, Stavros Lazaris, Divna Manolova, Maria K. Papathanassiou, Inmaculada Pérez Martín, Thomas Salmon, Ioannis Telelis, Anne Tihon, Alain Touwaide, Arnaud Zucker.
Download or read book Arms and Armour of the Warrior Saints written by Piotr Grotowski and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2010-09-24 with total page 626 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study investigates whether military equipment shown in images of warrior saints reflects items used by the mid-Byzantine Army or repeats Classical forms. This in turn answers questions on the originality of Byzantine art and its reliability as a historical source.
Download or read book Byzantine Armies 886 1118 written by Ian Heath and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 1979-07-05 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Byzantines had a remarkably sophisticated approach to politics and military strategy. Unlike most of their contemporaries, they learnt very early in their history that winning a battle did not necessarily win a war, and they frequently bought off their enemies with treaties and bribes rather than squander men and matériel in potentially fruitless campaigns. The Byzantine army of the 10th and early 11th centuries, at the height of its power and efficiency, was the best-organised, best-trained, best-equipped and highest-paid in the known world. This splendid book by Ian Heath examines the Byzantine Armies from 886-1118, including the lusty, hard-fighting, hard-drinking 'barbarian' Varangian guard.
Download or read book Road to Manzikert written by Brian Todd Carey and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2012-03-19 with total page 490 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Take[s] us through 500 years of conflict from Justinian through the rise of Islam to the coming of the Turks . . . good chapters on Islamic warfare.”—Balkan Military History In August 1071, the Byzantine Emperor Romanus IV Diogenese led out a powerful army in an attempt to roll back Seljuk Turkish incursions into the Anatolian heartland of the Empire. Outmaneuvered by the Turkish sultan, Alp Arslan, Romanus was forced to give battle with only half his troops near Manzikert. By the end of that fateful day much of the Byzantine army was dead, the rest scattered in flight and the Emperor himself a captive. As a result, the Anatolian heart was torn out of the empire and it was critically weakened, while Turkish power expanded rapidly, eventually leading to Byzantine appeals for help from Western Europe, prompting the First Crusade. This book sets the battle in the context of the military history of the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic World (Arab and Seljuk Turkish) up to the pivotal engagement at Manzikert in 1071, with special emphasis on the origins, course and outcome of this battle. The composition, weapons and tactics of the very different opposing armies are analyzed. The final chapter is dedicated to assessing the impact of Manzikert on the Byzantine Empire’s strategic position in Anatolia and to the battle’s role as a causus belli for the Crusades. Dozens of maps and battle diagrams support the clear text, making this an invaluable study of a crucial period of military history. “A gripping story of desertion, defection and betrayal amongst the Byzantine troops and of the fleet and ferocious Seljuk steppe warriors.”—Today’s Zaman
Download or read book Cataphracts written by Erich B Anderson and published by Grub Street Publishers. This book was released on 2016-11-30 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A deeply researched and page-turning history of armored cavalry in the ancient world from the Eurasian steppe tribes to the late Byzantine Empire. Cataphracts were the most heavily armored form of cavalry in the ancient civilizations of the East, with riders and horses both clad in heavy armor. Originating among the wealthiest nobles of various central Asian steppe tribes such as the Massagetae and Scythians, the traditions and strategies of these proud warriors were adopted and adapted by several major empires—the Achaemenid Persians, Seleucids, Sassanians, and eventually the Romans and their Byzantine successors—from c. 4000 BCE to 1200 CE. Usually armed with long lances, the cataphracts harnessed the mobility and sheer mass of their horses to the durability and solid fighting power of the spear-armed phalanx. Although very expensive to equip and maintain, they were a powerful force in battle and remained in use for many centuries. In this compelling historical survey, Erich B. Anderson assesses the development, equipment, tactics, and combat record of cataphracts and the similar clibinarii, showing also how enemies sought to counter them. This is a valuable study of one of the most interesting weapon systems of the ancient world. “A valuable study of one of the most interesting troop types of the ancient world.” —The Armourer “The first comprehensive survey of heavy armored cavalry . . . that played a particularly important role in the military history of Late Antiquity . . . This is a good survey of the history of heavy cavalry in the ancient world, covering arms, equipment, organization, tactics, and battles.” —The NYMAS Review
Download or read book Byzantium Triumphant written by Julian Romane and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2021-08-04 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This vibrant history examines the wars of three Byzantine emperors: Nicephorus II Phocas, John I Tzimiskes, and Basil II “The Bulgar Slayer”. In Byzantium Triumphant, Julian Romane presents an in-depth chronicle of the many wars waged by Nicephorus II Phocas, his nephew and assassin John I Tzimiskes, and the infamous Basil II. Capturing the drama of battle as well as the strategic operations of each campaign, Romane depicts the new energy and improved methods of warfare developed in the late tenth and early eleventh century. He also sheds light on the court intrigues and political skullduggery of the period. These emperors were at war on all fronts, fighting for survival and dominance against enemies including the Arab caliphates, Bulgars, and the Holy Roman Empire, not to mention dealing with civil wars and rebellions. Romane’s careful research, drawing particularly on the evidence of Byzantine military manuals, allows him to produce a gripping narrative underpinned by a detailed understanding of the Byzantine tactics, organization, training and doctrine.
Download or read book By the Emperor s Hand written by Timothy Dawson and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2015-09-30 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As absolute as Hitler's control over the German war machine was, it depended on the ability, judgment and unquestioning loyalty of the senior officers charged with putting his ideas, however difficult, into effect.Top military historian James Lucas examines the stories of fourteen of these men: all of different rank, from varied backgrounds, and highly awarded, they exemplify German military prowess at its most dangerous. Among his subjects are Eduard Dietl, the commander of German forces in Norway and Eastern Europe; Werner Kampf, one of the most successful Panzer commanders of the war; and Kurt Meyer, commander of the Hitler Youth Division and one of Germany's youngest general officers.The author, one of the leading experts on all aspects of German military conduct of the Second World War, offers the reader a rare look into the nature of the German Army a curious mix of individual strength, petty officialdom and pragmatic action.
Download or read book Armour Never Wearies written by Timothy Dawson and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2013-08-05 with total page 182 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Armour Never Wearies is the first volume to bring together all the hitherto scattered evidence – archaeological, literary and artistic – for the forms and uses of scale and lamellar armours in the region west of the Ural Mountains throughout the 3,500 years during which these armours were used. The interpretation of this data is informed by the author’s long practical experience as a maker of arms and armour, martial artist and horseman. It offers systematic definitions and analysis of these often misunderstood forms of armour, along with detailed diagrams and instructions that will be of great use to any who wish to turn their hands to reconstruction. Along the way, this unique synthesis of evidence and interpretation debunks some myths that have arisen in recent years.
Download or read book Armies of the Dark Ages written by Ian Heath and published by Lulu.com. This book was released on 2015-03-23 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Armies of the Dark Ages spans the period from 600 AD to 1066 and describes Byzantine, Sub-Roman, Pictish, Irish, Visigothic, Lombard, Merovingian, Carolingian, Ottonian, Viking, Russian, Slav, Avar, Khazar, Magyar, Bulgar, Pecheneg, Ghuzz, Alan, Armenian, Sassanid, Arab, Andalusian, Near Eastern, Saxon, Norman, Italian and Spanish armies. It examines tactics and strategy, organisation and formations as well as providing a detailed guide to the dress and equipment of the armies of the period. Comprehensive illustrations complement the text and the result is a wealth of information for anyone interested in the warfare of the time. Long out of print, the book has been a source of inspiration to wargamers and academic historians alike. It is reprinted here in its complete 1980 second edition with an updated bibliography.
Download or read book Beyond the Battleground written by Tom Bisio and published by Blue Snake Books. This book was released on 2016-05-17 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing on ideas from classical military strategy, the Yijing (Book of Changes), and Chinese martial arts theory, Tom Bisio presents a fascinating exploration of how insights from these sources can be deployed to manage crisis situations in all aspects of our daily lives. Suggesting approaches for cultivating a strategic mindset that can be applied to one's relationships, work, and personal self-fulfillment, Beyond the Battleground offers methods of adapting to circumstances, conserving one's own resources, and avoiding or dissolving conflict that will aid any reader navigating the uncertainties of the changing world, including the business person, military theorist, or martial artist. Deftly interweaving his background in East Asian philosophy and history and his career in traditional Chinese medicine with his lifelong interest in the martial arts and military science, Bisio also presents examples of successful strategies from history’s great commanders such as Sunzi, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, and Mao Zedong.
Download or read book Byzantine Naval Forces 1261 1461 written by Raffaele D’Amato and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2016-09-22 with total page 50 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After the recapture of Constantinople, Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos was determined to bring glory back to the Byzantine Empire. To achieve this, he established an Imperial Fleet and raised new regiments of elite marine troops. This work provides a comprehensive, illustrated guide to the unit history and appearance of these men, who were at the cutting edge of the last great flourish of Byzantine naval power. They won victory after victory in campaigns throughout the 1260s–70s, and though successive periods of decline and partial resurrection followed, these marine units survived until the very last flickers of Byzantine resistance were extinguished. Drawing upon early literary sources, the rich evidence of period illuminated manuscripts, frescoes and other iconography, Raffaele D'Amato details the lasting legacy of the swansong of Byzantine naval power.
Download or read book Alexios I Komnenos in the Balkans 1081 1095 written by Marek Meško and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-06-14 with total page 437 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a new military history of Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos's campaigns in the Balkans, during the first fourteen years of his rule. While the tactics and manoeuvres Alexios used against Robert Guiscard's Normans are relatively well-known, his strategy in dealing with Pecheneg and Cuman adversaries in the region has received less attention in historical scholarship. This book provides a much-need synthesis of these three closely linked campaigns – often treated as discrete events – revealing a surprising coherence in Alexios' response, and explores the position of Byzantium's army and navy on the eve of the First Crusade.
Download or read book O City of Byzantium written by Nicetas Choniates and published by Wayne State University Press. This book was released on 1984 with total page 486 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the most important accounts of the Middle Ages, the history of Niketas Choniates describes the Byzantine Empire from 1118 to 1207. Niketas provides an eyewitness account of the sack of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade.
