DOI Artikel:
Grotowski, Piotr Ł.: Military Attire of Warrior Saints - a case of Spekion
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20622#0017
from the mantle called sagion, but finally assumed
the form of a tunic with distinguishing chrysoklavia.
The finał shape of a white spekion as an official uni-
form was formed no earłier than in last decades of
6th century. In the mosaic on the north side of the
sanctuary in San Vitale in Ravenna (ca. 546—48), one
of the skutarioi accompanying Justinian is shown in
a long tunic with clavia, but its colour is green, not
white20. V. Lazarev thinks that in this case a group of
military saints was shown in the vestment of civilian
officials. Indeed the Book ofCeremonies prescribed the
spekion as an element of official uniform of Cham-
berlain (parikomenos) and patricians (patrikioi), but
in another place the text says that it is also worn by
p. 414, v. 8 [I 91], 423, v. 2 [I 92]. See also representation of
Constantine the Great during battle on the Mulvian bridge on
fol. 440r and king Ezekiach on fol. 435v of Homilies of Gregory
ofNazianzos (Par. gr. 510) and the same king on fol. 446v Paris
Psalter (Par. gr. 139), L. Brubaker, Vision and Meaning in
Ninth-Century Byzantium. Images as Exegesis in the Homilies of
Gregory of Nazianzus, Cambridgel999, p. 163, 371, fig. 43, 45,
161; S. Der Nersessian, The lllustrations of the Homilies of
Gregory of Nazianzus. A Study of the Connections betioeen Text and
Images, Dumbarton Oaks Papers 16 (1962), fig. 15; A. Cut-
ler, J.-M. Spieser, Byzance medievale 700—1204, Paris 1996,
fig. 117-118.
20 See E. Piltz, Middle Byzantine Court Costume [in:] By-
zantine Court Culture from 829 to 1204, ed. H. Maguire, Wash-
ington 1997, p. 45, fig. 15 (who also interprets tunics of
Solomon guards as spekion ofprotospatharioi)\ Brubaker, o.c.,
p. 265, fig. 25; Der Nersessian, o.c., fig. 8; Age ofSpiri-
tuality, Late Antiąue and Early Christian Art, Third to Seventh
Century: Catalogue of the Exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum
of Art, November 19, 1977, through February 12, 1978, ed.
K. Weitzmann, New York 1979, No. 65. The skutarii regi-
ment during late Roman period was the most important part
of the imperial officers academy (scholae palatinae). It consisted
of two units counting 200 soldierseach, loannnes Lydus, on
Poiuers or the Magistracies of the Roman State, introduction &
translation A. C. Bandy, Philadelphia 1983, p. 20, v. 9—12 [I
5/91 (identifying skutarioi with aspidiotes)\ Notitia Dignitatum,
ed. O. Seeck, Berolini 1876 (reprint Frankfurt/a M. 1962), p.
13 [Or. V], 17 [Or. VI], 21 [Or. VII], 32 [Or. XI] 131 [Occ. VI],
142 [Occ. VII], 144—146 [Occ IX]; Ammien Marcellin. Histoire,
ed. & translation E. Galletier, Paris 1978-1999, vol. 1, p. 81
[XIV 7/91, 151, [XVI 4/1], 156 [XVI 6/2], who also mentions
tribunes (rectors) of skutarioi'. Skudilon, Cella and Nestica, see
vol. 1, p. 98 [XIV 10/8],. 170 [XVI 11/6], vol. 2, p. 65 [XVII
10/5]. Skutarioi were still present on Byzantine court, where
they subordinated to drungarios of the Viglia, J. F. Haldon,
Byzantine Praetorians: An Administratiye, Institutional and Social
Survey of the Opsikion and Tagmata, c. 580—900. Bonn—Berlin
1984, p. 241 (TToiidAa (3uęavxiva 3); however Leonis Imperatoris
Tactica, ed. R. Vari (Sylloge Tacticorum Graecorum 3), Buda-
pesti 1917, vol. 1, p. 75, v. 999—16, v. 1004 [IV 56] informs
that this term — being an equivalent of ancient hoplites was in
9th century almost forgotten: “Oi pisv yap apyicdoi ttoAuttA—
r|0iaę £UTtopouvT6s iacos axpaxsupdxcov tgov ttote Asyopśvcov
so called beardedprotospatharioi who held also swords
and a reed. Thus Identification of the saints in the
triptych at Palazzo Venezia as representatives of the
second offlce is confirmed by the long swords in
round pointed scabbards held in the hand21. Military
character of the whole group is emphasized also by a
metrical inscription placed in the middle of a panel.
It tells about the martyrs’ help in scolding enemies
of emperor (founder of the triptych)22. White spekions
as an element of the protospatharios uniform can be
also found in the miniaturę presenting theJndgement
of Solomon in Homilies of Gregory ofNazianzos (Par. gr.
PIO, fol. 215v) and in the 10th century fresco on the
south wali of St. Demetrios church at Thessalonike.
ÓttAitcov, vGv 5e aKouxaxcov KaAoupevcov, paAAov 5s Kai
auroG tou óvbpaxos 5ia xqv ayav xrjs xaKxiKqs MsAext'is'
Kat TTpa^scos apsAsiay Trapa piKpóv Trapa Trdvxoov ay-
vooupśvou”. In the other place, the same author identifies
skutarioi with hoplites , vol. 1, p. 137, v. 1610—1612 [VII 3],
169, v. 1987 - 1989 [VII 49 (56)], 251, v. 2900-2901 [IX 70
(74)]; AuTOKpaTGjpos Aeojutos' IT tou lopou ToktikÓ, ed.
& translation. K. IToxap i a vos, Adrjuai, vol. A’, p. 324
[XIV 64], 332 [XIV 78] (text follows after Das Strategikon des
Maurikios, ed. & translation G. T. Dennis & E. Gamillscheg,
(CFHB 17) Wien 1981, p. 434, v. 12-13 [XII 12]) that allows
us to conclude they were a formation of heavily armoured foot
soldiers. During Paleologian period the imperial shield was
carried by the officer called — aKOUxepioę, Pseudo-Kodinos,
Traite des offices, ed. J. Verpeaux, Paris 1975, p. 183, v. 11—15
[183] (while during Constantine Porphyrogenitos reign spath-
arioi were official shield-bearer, see Constantin VII Porphy-
rogenete, o.c,, vol. 1, p. 4, v. 18—20 [I 1]). About guard with
spears and shields surrounding Alexios’ I throne still mentions
Comnene, o.c., vol. 2, p. 181, v. 16—20, 23—24 [X 9/2]: “oi
5e 5ópaxa (})Epovx£ę [...] ek 5iaaxrj|jaxós xivos xou (BaotAiKoG
0póvou eis pr]VO£i5£s ayfjpa śauxous iAa5óv Kaxaaxrjaavxss
Kai oiov EvayKaAiaapEvoi xóv auxoKpaxopa [...] 5e^iÓ0ev 5e
Kai eE, sucovupcov EXEpoi Ka0ioavxo GTTaoTrumai’’.
21 Cf. B.H.JIa3apeB, Hoebiu ncommitK cmcmKoeou cucueonu-
cu XII eeKa u o6pa3 Teopeun - eouna e einawmiucKOM u ópeenepyc-
ckom ucKycmee [in:] PyccKcm cpedneeeKoecma otcueonucb - cmamu
u uccjiedoeaHUH, MocKBa 1970, p. 64. Constantini Porphyrogeniti
Imperatoris De Cerimoniis..., vol. 1, p. 585, v. 7—9 [II 15]; Con-
stantin VII Porphyrogenete, o.c., vol. 1, p. 73, v. 29-
30 [I 10]: “scpitxtxoi TrpcoxooTta0dpioi EiwoGyoi, TTEpif3s(3Ar]|-iE
vot OTtEKia aAr]0ivd xpuaÓKAa(3a Kai OTTa0ia”, 137, v. 10—12
[I 36]: “ot 5e (3ap(3axoi TTpcoxooTta0dpioi (j)opoGat xa ottekio
aGxcdv Kai aTTa0ia, oG (3aaxdęouai 5e aTra0o(3aKAia”. On
the sword as an essential element of spatharios’ uniform turns
attention M. Whitby, On the Omission of a Ceremony in Mid-
Sixth Century Constantinople: Candidati, Curopalatus, Silentiarii,
Excubitores and Others, Historia 36 (1981), No. 2, p. 467.
22 Text publishs N. Oikonomides, The Concept of „Holy
War” and Two Tenth — century Byzantine luories [in:] Peace and
War in Byzantium. Essays in Honor of George T. Dennis, S. J.,
ed. S. Miller, J. Nesbitt, Washington 1995, p. 73, 76 , who
connects triptych with the last years of Constantine Porphy-
rogenete reign.
11
the form of a tunic with distinguishing chrysoklavia.
The finał shape of a white spekion as an official uni-
form was formed no earłier than in last decades of
6th century. In the mosaic on the north side of the
sanctuary in San Vitale in Ravenna (ca. 546—48), one
of the skutarioi accompanying Justinian is shown in
a long tunic with clavia, but its colour is green, not
white20. V. Lazarev thinks that in this case a group of
military saints was shown in the vestment of civilian
officials. Indeed the Book ofCeremonies prescribed the
spekion as an element of official uniform of Cham-
berlain (parikomenos) and patricians (patrikioi), but
in another place the text says that it is also worn by
p. 414, v. 8 [I 91], 423, v. 2 [I 92]. See also representation of
Constantine the Great during battle on the Mulvian bridge on
fol. 440r and king Ezekiach on fol. 435v of Homilies of Gregory
ofNazianzos (Par. gr. 510) and the same king on fol. 446v Paris
Psalter (Par. gr. 139), L. Brubaker, Vision and Meaning in
Ninth-Century Byzantium. Images as Exegesis in the Homilies of
Gregory of Nazianzus, Cambridgel999, p. 163, 371, fig. 43, 45,
161; S. Der Nersessian, The lllustrations of the Homilies of
Gregory of Nazianzus. A Study of the Connections betioeen Text and
Images, Dumbarton Oaks Papers 16 (1962), fig. 15; A. Cut-
ler, J.-M. Spieser, Byzance medievale 700—1204, Paris 1996,
fig. 117-118.
20 See E. Piltz, Middle Byzantine Court Costume [in:] By-
zantine Court Culture from 829 to 1204, ed. H. Maguire, Wash-
ington 1997, p. 45, fig. 15 (who also interprets tunics of
Solomon guards as spekion ofprotospatharioi)\ Brubaker, o.c.,
p. 265, fig. 25; Der Nersessian, o.c., fig. 8; Age ofSpiri-
tuality, Late Antiąue and Early Christian Art, Third to Seventh
Century: Catalogue of the Exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum
of Art, November 19, 1977, through February 12, 1978, ed.
K. Weitzmann, New York 1979, No. 65. The skutarii regi-
ment during late Roman period was the most important part
of the imperial officers academy (scholae palatinae). It consisted
of two units counting 200 soldierseach, loannnes Lydus, on
Poiuers or the Magistracies of the Roman State, introduction &
translation A. C. Bandy, Philadelphia 1983, p. 20, v. 9—12 [I
5/91 (identifying skutarioi with aspidiotes)\ Notitia Dignitatum,
ed. O. Seeck, Berolini 1876 (reprint Frankfurt/a M. 1962), p.
13 [Or. V], 17 [Or. VI], 21 [Or. VII], 32 [Or. XI] 131 [Occ. VI],
142 [Occ. VII], 144—146 [Occ IX]; Ammien Marcellin. Histoire,
ed. & translation E. Galletier, Paris 1978-1999, vol. 1, p. 81
[XIV 7/91, 151, [XVI 4/1], 156 [XVI 6/2], who also mentions
tribunes (rectors) of skutarioi'. Skudilon, Cella and Nestica, see
vol. 1, p. 98 [XIV 10/8],. 170 [XVI 11/6], vol. 2, p. 65 [XVII
10/5]. Skutarioi were still present on Byzantine court, where
they subordinated to drungarios of the Viglia, J. F. Haldon,
Byzantine Praetorians: An Administratiye, Institutional and Social
Survey of the Opsikion and Tagmata, c. 580—900. Bonn—Berlin
1984, p. 241 (TToiidAa (3uęavxiva 3); however Leonis Imperatoris
Tactica, ed. R. Vari (Sylloge Tacticorum Graecorum 3), Buda-
pesti 1917, vol. 1, p. 75, v. 999—16, v. 1004 [IV 56] informs
that this term — being an equivalent of ancient hoplites was in
9th century almost forgotten: “Oi pisv yap apyicdoi ttoAuttA—
r|0iaę £UTtopouvT6s iacos axpaxsupdxcov tgov ttote Asyopśvcov
so called beardedprotospatharioi who held also swords
and a reed. Thus Identification of the saints in the
triptych at Palazzo Venezia as representatives of the
second offlce is confirmed by the long swords in
round pointed scabbards held in the hand21. Military
character of the whole group is emphasized also by a
metrical inscription placed in the middle of a panel.
It tells about the martyrs’ help in scolding enemies
of emperor (founder of the triptych)22. White spekions
as an element of the protospatharios uniform can be
also found in the miniaturę presenting theJndgement
of Solomon in Homilies of Gregory ofNazianzos (Par. gr.
PIO, fol. 215v) and in the 10th century fresco on the
south wali of St. Demetrios church at Thessalonike.
ÓttAitcov, vGv 5e aKouxaxcov KaAoupevcov, paAAov 5s Kai
auroG tou óvbpaxos 5ia xqv ayav xrjs xaKxiKqs MsAext'is'
Kat TTpa^scos apsAsiay Trapa piKpóv Trapa Trdvxoov ay-
vooupśvou”. In the other place, the same author identifies
skutarioi with hoplites , vol. 1, p. 137, v. 1610—1612 [VII 3],
169, v. 1987 - 1989 [VII 49 (56)], 251, v. 2900-2901 [IX 70
(74)]; AuTOKpaTGjpos Aeojutos' IT tou lopou ToktikÓ, ed.
& translation. K. IToxap i a vos, Adrjuai, vol. A’, p. 324
[XIV 64], 332 [XIV 78] (text follows after Das Strategikon des
Maurikios, ed. & translation G. T. Dennis & E. Gamillscheg,
(CFHB 17) Wien 1981, p. 434, v. 12-13 [XII 12]) that allows
us to conclude they were a formation of heavily armoured foot
soldiers. During Paleologian period the imperial shield was
carried by the officer called — aKOUxepioę, Pseudo-Kodinos,
Traite des offices, ed. J. Verpeaux, Paris 1975, p. 183, v. 11—15
[183] (while during Constantine Porphyrogenitos reign spath-
arioi were official shield-bearer, see Constantin VII Porphy-
rogenete, o.c,, vol. 1, p. 4, v. 18—20 [I 1]). About guard with
spears and shields surrounding Alexios’ I throne still mentions
Comnene, o.c., vol. 2, p. 181, v. 16—20, 23—24 [X 9/2]: “oi
5e 5ópaxa (})Epovx£ę [...] ek 5iaaxrj|jaxós xivos xou (BaotAiKoG
0póvou eis pr]VO£i5£s ayfjpa śauxous iAa5óv Kaxaaxrjaavxss
Kai oiov EvayKaAiaapEvoi xóv auxoKpaxopa [...] 5e^iÓ0ev 5e
Kai eE, sucovupcov EXEpoi Ka0ioavxo GTTaoTrumai’’.
21 Cf. B.H.JIa3apeB, Hoebiu ncommitK cmcmKoeou cucueonu-
cu XII eeKa u o6pa3 Teopeun - eouna e einawmiucKOM u ópeenepyc-
ckom ucKycmee [in:] PyccKcm cpedneeeKoecma otcueonucb - cmamu
u uccjiedoeaHUH, MocKBa 1970, p. 64. Constantini Porphyrogeniti
Imperatoris De Cerimoniis..., vol. 1, p. 585, v. 7—9 [II 15]; Con-
stantin VII Porphyrogenete, o.c., vol. 1, p. 73, v. 29-
30 [I 10]: “scpitxtxoi TrpcoxooTta0dpioi EiwoGyoi, TTEpif3s(3Ar]|-iE
vot OTtEKia aAr]0ivd xpuaÓKAa(3a Kai OTTa0ia”, 137, v. 10—12
[I 36]: “ot 5e (3ap(3axoi TTpcoxooTta0dpioi (j)opoGat xa ottekio
aGxcdv Kai aTTa0ia, oG (3aaxdęouai 5e aTra0o(3aKAia”. On
the sword as an essential element of spatharios’ uniform turns
attention M. Whitby, On the Omission of a Ceremony in Mid-
Sixth Century Constantinople: Candidati, Curopalatus, Silentiarii,
Excubitores and Others, Historia 36 (1981), No. 2, p. 467.
22 Text publishs N. Oikonomides, The Concept of „Holy
War” and Two Tenth — century Byzantine luories [in:] Peace and
War in Byzantium. Essays in Honor of George T. Dennis, S. J.,
ed. S. Miller, J. Nesbitt, Washington 1995, p. 73, 76 , who
connects triptych with the last years of Constantine Porphy-
rogenete reign.
11