05-14-2007, 11:29 AM
Actually, Australia is a hotbed of Varangian re-enactment, with quite a heavy focus on Byzantium in some of our branches. And we do have several yahoo discussion lists - but the emphasis is Varangian first, Byzantine second. And a lot of the discussions have very little to do with anything but local issues.
Buy if you like you can chase them up. The discussion list (for our national organisation) is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/newvarangianguard/ . You can also look at our website at http://www.nvg.org.au/
Which Yahoo list do you know of with English Varangians? Sure it's not one of the above?
Regarding the Varangians being issued armour, see http://www.geocities.com/egfrothos/Adoption.html
The helmet I wear is shown here.
Here's me wearing it in Rome, just near the Forum.
At the risk of name-dropping, this is Dr Raffaele d'Amato's wedding- he asked me to be in his honour guard. And the best man was Prof. Taxiarchis Kolias.
The kit has been on hold for a while. I've had other things on my plate (like attending the Battle of Hastings re-enactment). Evemtually I want to get the whole lot together, including armoured skirt and padded greaves.
The fellow in the photo is Dr Tim Dawson, something of a recognised authority on Byzantine armour and costume. He originated the design I used for my klivanion.
If you're doing a 6th century impression, that helmet is very good.
Do you have a copy of the Ravenna Christ mosaic with a more detailed rendition of the lamellar cuirass? It's very hard to see the form of the plates. The Deepeeka ones seem very short compared with those I'm aware of from this period.
I've collected quite a few copies of contemporary representations of 6th century Roman armour, if you're interested in seeing them. (I also took photos of 6th century lamellar plates in the museum of the Crypta Balbi in Rome - unfortunately they didn't come out all that well).
Buy if you like you can chase them up. The discussion list (for our national organisation) is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/newvarangianguard/ . You can also look at our website at http://www.nvg.org.au/
Which Yahoo list do you know of with English Varangians? Sure it's not one of the above?
Regarding the Varangians being issued armour, see http://www.geocities.com/egfrothos/Adoption.html
The helmet I wear is shown here.
Here's me wearing it in Rome, just near the Forum.
At the risk of name-dropping, this is Dr Raffaele d'Amato's wedding- he asked me to be in his honour guard. And the best man was Prof. Taxiarchis Kolias.
The kit has been on hold for a while. I've had other things on my plate (like attending the Battle of Hastings re-enactment). Evemtually I want to get the whole lot together, including armoured skirt and padded greaves.
The fellow in the photo is Dr Tim Dawson, something of a recognised authority on Byzantine armour and costume. He originated the design I used for my klivanion.
If you're doing a 6th century impression, that helmet is very good.
Do you have a copy of the Ravenna Christ mosaic with a more detailed rendition of the lamellar cuirass? It's very hard to see the form of the plates. The Deepeeka ones seem very short compared with those I'm aware of from this period.
I've collected quite a few copies of contemporary representations of 6th century Roman armour, if you're interested in seeing them. (I also took photos of 6th century lamellar plates in the museum of the Crypta Balbi in Rome - unfortunately they didn't come out all that well).
"It is safer and more advantageous to overcome the enemy by planning and generalship than by sheer force"
The Strategikon of Emperor Maurice
Steven Lowe
Australia
The Strategikon of Emperor Maurice
Steven Lowe
Australia