TheVarangianGuard988-453
- 作者
- 出版社 OspreyPublishing
- 出版时间 2010年6月
- ISBN 9781849081795
- 定价 218.10
内容简介
TheVarangianGuardswereVikingmercenarieswhooperatedfarbeyondtheirnativeshoresasaneliteforcewithintheByzantineArmies.Descendantsfromalegendarylineofwarriors,theVarangianGuardwasformedafteragroupofVikingmercenariesmadeamajorcontributiontotheByzantineEmperorBasilII'svictoryoverrebelforcesin988AD.These5,000menwerethenretainedasBasil'spersonalguardandwouldprovideloyalservicetomanysuccessiveoccupantsoftheimperialthrone.Commonlyreferredtoas'foreigners'(Etaireia),theywerenonethelessabsorbedintoanewPalatineregimentundercommandofanofficertermedtheAkolouthos,whowaseitheraNorsemenoraRus(NorsemencolonizersofRussia).TheVarangiansworemixturesoftheirnativeclothingandarmortogetherwithasplendidformalByzantineuniform.Butmostfamously,theyalwayswieldedtheirowntraditionalbattle-axes;thisbecameasignthattheemperorwasonthebattlefieldinperson.Thisisaninsightfullookofoneofthelegendaryguardunitsofthemedievalworld,completewithadazzlingarrayofartworkplatesshowingtheVarangianGuardinanarrayofsettingsfromcourtceremoniestothebattlefield.
丛书
Men-at-Arms— END —