Shogun 144
Sergeant
Nikephoros:
Oh, I understand about that. I guess from my perspective it would help believability if the portrait did not resemble the Boulgaroktonos so closely. I mean the crown and the white beard was a dead give away. But I am exacting in that way.
Great resource there in that article on the Maniakes Expedition, very cool. I was not able to read all of it but enough to bring to mind a question for nijis, if it is not too off topic.
That is, how is the team for BfS planning on representing the presence of crack Imperial regiments in Italy from time to time on the request of the katepanos to Constantinople?
You see one of the really interesting things about the position of katepanos is that unlike most ordinary themata commanders is that not only did he have unparalleled control over his territory, he could also count on receiving direct support form Constantinople in the form of short term expedition by the elite forces of the empire, namely the Spatharioi and the Varangoi.
Both of these regiments formed the bodyguard of the Emperor and were the elite core of the Roman Army. Of the Varangoi we know that they were also subdivided into a further two regiments, the actual mercenaries from Russia, the Viking homelands, and after the debacles of the late 1060s Anglo-Saxon exiles and the Pelekyphoroi. The Pelekyphoroi were the sons and grandsons of the original mercenaries who had settled down, married Roman women, and had families. There is a popular opinion among historians that if the 4th Crusade had attempted to breach Constantinople at the sector guarded by the Pelekyphoroi there would have been no breach. In the case of Sicily both regiments accompanied Maniakes.
As for the Spatharioi, well they were more of a prestige regiment. A convenient way, if you will, to re-assign old veterans and still allow them to remain in service. Nonetheless they received the best armor in the empire and being veterans that made them both very well spirited and disciplined. They also had the unique privilege of being allowed to incorporate old Hellenic 'add-ons' to their armor. For example under the Komnenoi the Spatharioi wore the horse hail crest and pteryges of the hoplites of old Hellas.
Make no mistake: the presence of these regiments in the Sicilian Theater was very rare and only occurred a few times, but it did happen and I think it would add a sense of dreaded uncertainty for both Muslims and Normans. The Normans in particular dreaded the Varangoi, they were after all the only regiment of the Imperial Army that could defeat them on the field regularly.
Oh, I understand about that. I guess from my perspective it would help believability if the portrait did not resemble the Boulgaroktonos so closely. I mean the crown and the white beard was a dead give away. But I am exacting in that way.
Great resource there in that article on the Maniakes Expedition, very cool. I was not able to read all of it but enough to bring to mind a question for nijis, if it is not too off topic.
That is, how is the team for BfS planning on representing the presence of crack Imperial regiments in Italy from time to time on the request of the katepanos to Constantinople?
You see one of the really interesting things about the position of katepanos is that unlike most ordinary themata commanders is that not only did he have unparalleled control over his territory, he could also count on receiving direct support form Constantinople in the form of short term expedition by the elite forces of the empire, namely the Spatharioi and the Varangoi.
Both of these regiments formed the bodyguard of the Emperor and were the elite core of the Roman Army. Of the Varangoi we know that they were also subdivided into a further two regiments, the actual mercenaries from Russia, the Viking homelands, and after the debacles of the late 1060s Anglo-Saxon exiles and the Pelekyphoroi. The Pelekyphoroi were the sons and grandsons of the original mercenaries who had settled down, married Roman women, and had families. There is a popular opinion among historians that if the 4th Crusade had attempted to breach Constantinople at the sector guarded by the Pelekyphoroi there would have been no breach. In the case of Sicily both regiments accompanied Maniakes.
As for the Spatharioi, well they were more of a prestige regiment. A convenient way, if you will, to re-assign old veterans and still allow them to remain in service. Nonetheless they received the best armor in the empire and being veterans that made them both very well spirited and disciplined. They also had the unique privilege of being allowed to incorporate old Hellenic 'add-ons' to their armor. For example under the Komnenoi the Spatharioi wore the horse hail crest and pteryges of the hoplites of old Hellas.
Make no mistake: the presence of these regiments in the Sicilian Theater was very rare and only occurred a few times, but it did happen and I think it would add a sense of dreaded uncertainty for both Muslims and Normans. The Normans in particular dreaded the Varangoi, they were after all the only regiment of the Imperial Army that could defeat them on the field regularly.
