Modern reconstruction of a Byzantine klivanion (Κλιβάνιον).

The klivanion or klibanion (Greek: κλιβάνιον)[1] was a Byzantine lamellar cuirass made of metal plates (scales or lamellae) sewn on leather or cloth, with plates protecting the shoulders and the back. It is said that the name derives from the Greek klivanos (κλίβανος), meaning "oven", because this cuirass tended to get unbearably hot when worn in the sun. It was part of the armour of the Byzantine heavy cavalry.[2][3][4] This cavalry called the kataphraktoi also wore this with a thickly padded surcoat epilorikion as added covering.[5] Considered one of the three best armors together the thorax and zava-lorikion, it was also worn by the Taghmatics and the Byzantine Imperial Guards.[6]

Klivanion was also made for horses and this armor was made from bison hide.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Klivanion revisited: an evolutionary typology and catalogue of middle Byzantine lamellar. | Timothy G Dawson - Academia.edu". Archived from the original on 2013-07-03.
  2. ^ Porphyra (Πορφύρα), da un' idea di Nicola Bergamo, a cura di Dott. Raffaele D' Amato. p.15
  3. ^ Dawson Timothy (2009) Byzantine Cavalryman C.900-1204, Osprey Publishing.
  4. ^ Dawson Timothy, Klivanion revisited: an evolutionary typology and catalogue of middle Byzantine lamellar’, Journal of Roman Military Equipment Studies, 12/13 (2001/2)
  5. ^ Negin, Andrey Evgenevich; D’Amato, Raffaele (2020). Roman Heavy Cavalry (2): AD 500–1450. London: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4728-3951-0.
  6. ^ D’Amato, Raffaele (2012). Byzantine Imperial Guardsmen 925–1025: The Tághmata and Imperial Guard. Oxford, UK: Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 55. ISBN 978-1-84908-851-0.
  7. ^ Theotokis, Georgios; Meško, Marek (2020). War in Eleventh-Century Byzantium. Oxon: Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-57477-1.

External links

Categories