Attack On a Medieval Tower

 

Byzantine Helmet -- 13th century

 

Brimmed helmets (with the "brims" sometimes little more than a flared rim) were the predominant type in the 12th-13th centuries, but during the 14th century they seem to have been displaced by the Bascinets, similar to those in Western Europe.

 

Hungarian Helmets:

A. Peceneg helmet, perhaps basically of Byzantium origin, with nomad decorations, 11th-12th century (Deri Museum Nemiya #2, Debrecan);

B. 10th-11th century Magyar helmet of directly riveted segments, decorated with copper filets (Archealogical Museum, Pecs);

C. Cuman helmet in mixed steppe and Iranian style, 13th century (National Museum, Budapest);

D. 14th century "bascinet" with "klappvisier", probably of German origin, 1380 (National; Museum, Budapest);

E. Helmet in Turkish style, Mohacs, period, early 15th century (National Museum, Budapest).

Helmets and Head-Gear

 

A. Helmet from Vatra Moldovitei possibly 12th-13th century, Byzantine origin (ex-Spinei);

B. 11th century Russian helmet, possible Byzantine origin (location unknown);

C. Engraved and inlaid, 13th-14th century helment (engraving not shown), of probable Byzantium origin, (Kremlin Armory, Moscow) ;

D. Helmet of scale construction on a felt base, poorer warriors, 15th-16th century, (National Museum, Budapest);

E. Helmet from Kalkis, supposedly Ottoman origin, but could be late Byzantine, early 15th century, (Ethnog Museum, Athens);

F. 13th century helmet, either "cerrelliere" or part of a "chapel-de-fer" (National Museum, Budapest);

G. "salet" of Italian origin (or a fake) from Serbia late 14th-15th century, (Military Museum, Belgrade);

H. "rassapka" mail coif with skull plate, 16th century, showing obvious similarity with the Ottoman "zirh kuluh" (Military Museum, Budapest);

I. Helmet catalogued as 5th century, but probably 15th-16th century Hungarian or Serbian (National Museum, Belgrade).

Military Uniforms

 

The uniforms of these Trapezuntine warriors from a 15th century tomb in Trebizond's Hagia Sofia clearly demonstrates the Turkish influence prevelent among the local Byzantine and Laz populations. The mounted figures wear white hats, yellow boots, and red coats (one with a white pattern), while the other figure below, wears a white coat and a yellow tunic.

Ref. Heath, "Byzantine Armies ---"

Game Board -- Seaport of Telico, Cyprus

 

This is a ficticious seaport drawn only for gaming.

Ottoman Hooped Iron Gun

 

This 1464 gun is identical to the pieces used against Constantinople. Kritoboulos records that the very largest of Mehmed II's guns in 1453 was 8.17 meters (26.8 feet) long, made of two halves that screwed together. The bore was 76 cm (30 inches) in the front half (for the shot) and 25 cm (10 inches) in the back half for the charge. In the illustrated example the halves weighed 8-9 tons each.

Ref. Heath, "Byzantine Armies ---"

Hungarian and Balkan Seals

 

Seal Owners:
A -- Istvan Erdelyi, Lord of Pecs, mid 14th Century (Budapest Historical Museum);

B -- King Stephen V of Hungary, 1270-72 (Budapest Historical Museum);

C -- Late 14th, early 15th century Bosnian seal (Sarajevo Museum);

D -- Despot Stefan Lazarevic of Serbia, 1410 (Monastery Archives, Manasija).

Ref. Heath, "Byzantium Armies ---"

B --

Armored Cavalrymen

 

The Serbian (left) and the Bulgarian (right) are armored cavalrymen fighting as horse-archers from mid-14th century manuscripts. There is no similar pictorial evidence of Byzantium cavalrymen using bows, though the fact that Byzantium archers were frequently brigaded alongside Cumans and Turks on the battle field and must therefore have been mounted indicates that they did; and the English chronicler Ambrose actually records Isaac Komnenos of Cyprus firing two arrows at King Richard from horseback in 1191. Certainly composite bows are depicted amongst the weapons of most military saints in late Byzantine art. It can therefore be concluded that, despite having fallen out of favor from 1150 to 1350 -- during which period Byzantine sources invariably describe their cavalrymen fighting only with lance and sword -- the bow clearly never entirely disappeared.

Constantinople

 

This is a simplistic map of the city which was drawn in 1422 by a Florentine traveler, Buondelmonte. The massive church of Hagia Sofia stands on the right, while the large building towards the top is the Blachernae Palace. Note that the double land walls extend North from the Golden Gate Fortress only as far as the Blachernae district. Beyond the Golden Horn lies the suburb of Pera, or Galata.

Ref. Heath, "Byzantine Armies ----"

Tower Archers

 

Constantinople is under attack in this drawing. The drawing is taken from the Manasses Codes of 1344-45. The lower defender is armed with a crossbow, or "Tzangra" (crossbowmen were called tzangratoroi). The crossbow was considered to be a foreign weapon, often called the "Latin Bow";and it remained a rarity in the Empire even into the 14th century, when Byzantine writers still felt obliged to describe the bow to their readers in considerable detail. Normally, it was only used to defend a fortification and not in open field skirmishes / battles. However Byzantium troops who opposed the landing of Richard the Lionheart's landing on Cyprus in 1191 included a number of crossbowmen.

Ref. Ian Heath, "Byzantine Armies 1118-1461 AD." Osprey Pub., Men-At Arms Series - 287, London, UK, 1995 (ISBN 1 65532 347 8).

Game Board

 

This is a better view of the Game Board for the Cretan adventure.

Mural Gallery, Eastern Curtain, Perge

 

A mural gallery in an eastern curtain at Perge. The wall-walk is only 1.6 meters wide here and behind the buttresses it narrows down to 0.6 meters. There was not room enough for placing and using missile engines, so the mural gallery was either used only by archers, or else temporary wooden planking was placed beyond the stone wall-walk between the buttresses.

Ref. Nossov, "Greek Fortifications ---"

Medieval Tower, Assos

 

A medieval tower in the acropolis at Assos. In the Byzantine and Turkish periods the ancient fortifications of Assos were rebuilt. The masonry of the medieval towers, often erected on ancient foundations was quite different, consisting of rubble on mortar.

Ref. Nossov, "Greek Fortifications ==="

Western Curtain, Perge

 

The curtain on the western side of the Perge, viewed from the city. Projecting courses of eaves are visible on the top. Rows of eaves allowed the widening of the wall-walk, thus making it more convenient for traffic and defense without conducting the labor-consuming work of broadening the entire wall.

Ref. --Nossov, "Greek Fortifications ==="

Game Board

 

This is a picture that my wife took of the game board that I made for our battle against the pirates on Crete. The drawing is strictly one out of my imagination because I do not have at hand a detailed chart of any small Cretan cities with a seaport facility.

"Roman Gate", Perge

 

This so-called "Roman Gate" at Perge was probably built in the 3rd century AD right in front of a monumental Hellenistic Gate. An additional line of fortifications built to the South was seemingly designed to protect the expanded territory of the city. Meanwhile the Roman fortifications were far from formidable and were probably only created for effect.

Ref. Nossov, "Greek Fortifications ---"

Side, Turkey

 

A section of a curtain backed by corbelled buttresses at Side. A slit has been made in each bay between the buttresses. Note the slits are in different heights in different bays.

Ref/ Nossov, "Greek Fortifications---"

City Wall With A Jog, Priene

 

The city wall at Priene showing a jog in the wall. The jog allowed flanking fire to be brought to bear upon the space alongside the adjusting curtain, but unlike with a tower, this was on one side only. A jog was a cheap alternative to a tower. In Priene, the South city wall was protected mostly by jogs, while along the rest of the wall, there were towers

Ref. Nossov, "Greek Fortifications---"

Wall Arches At Side

 

A section of a curtain backed by arches at Side. A lower wall-walk was placed on top of the arches. The central slits in every bay between the pillars were designed for arrow firing devices such as three-span catapults or even two-cubit engines. The small slit on the right hand side was probably intended for an observer who directed the artillerymen. The observer would find himself, however, in an extremely precarious and dangerous position being too close to the recoiling arm of any engine. The upper wall-walk and parapet are only preserved in fragments.



Ref. Nossov, "Greek Fortifications---"

Mainland wall at Iasus

 

A reconstruction of the mainland wall at Iasus.. The wall was interspersed at about every 30 meters with jogs or J-shaped towers, allowing them to enfilade the enemy effectively. Moreover, there were sally ports on either side of every tower, and at every jog. Numerous posterns made an active defense possible with surprise sorties by the defenders. The wall was laid with uncoursed rubble which is uncharacteristic of Greek Military architecture.

Ref. Nossov,"Greek Fortifications---."

Iasus

 

Tower in Heraclea on Latmus

 

A tower in Heraclea on Latmus. viewed from the inside. The central windowws on the lower story were designed for small engines, and there were slits for archers on the sides. The upper story is provided with large windows for large missile machines.

ref. -- Nosov, "Greek Fortifications---"

Loryma (after Niemann)

 

ref. -- Nossov, "Greek Fortifications---"

U-shaped tower, Assos

 

A U-shaped tower at Assos, dating from the late 3rd century BC, the tower afforded space for artillery pieces. On it's single floor there was possibly an arrow-firing device that was moved from one window to another with the help of a system of pulleys.

ref. -- Nossov, "Greek Fortifications;;;"