From: c34657b@saha.hut.fi (Tuomas Viljanen)
Subject: Re: Byzantine Flags, and Another Question
Organization: The Nibelungenlied Incorporated
Date: Sun, 22 Nov 1992 16:38:55 GMT

In article <721933845.F00001@ocitor.fidonet> Tim@f4229.n124.z1.fidonet.org (Tim) writes
> The two-headed eagle was, so far as I know, primarily associated with the
> Holy Roman (post-Charlemagne western) empire; I know of no instance of its
> use by the Eastern empire.

The double-headed eagle was the VERY emblem of the Byzantine empire from the
early beginning on. Eagle was the emblem of the Roman empire: perhaps the
double-headed eagle dates back to the Imperator Constantinus I as the 
founding of Constantinopolis as the "Second Rome". Certainly the basileus
Iraklios (Heraclius) used double-headed eagle as his emblem. Double-headed
eagle was something a badge for the Byzantine Empire (like the Red Star for
the Commies). "Officially" it was not until the emperor Theodoros II who
adopted it as the "official" emblem of the state.

About the west: one-headed eagle (Sa on Or) was the arms of King of Germany;
double-headed eagle indicated he was also the Holy Roman Emperor (these two
things were not the same). Sometimes even a third head would be added: this
indicated the kingship of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

> EO> Was that the right Byzantine flag, and was there any such thing as
> EO> Byzantine heraldry?  Among other things, I'm working on a GURPS game book
> EO> about Byzantium.  
>
> The only "Byzantine flag" I've ever seen is illustrated on p. 106 of
> Ottfried Neubecker's "Heraldry: Sources, Symbols, and Meanings". It shows
> a flag quarterly of "Argent a cross gules" and what are represented to be
> the family arms of the Palaeologoi, "Gules a Cross between four
> fire-stele's addorsed or". The latter, because of their resemblance to the
> letter "B", are suggested to represent the Palaeologos motto: "Basileus
> Basilewn, Basileuwn Basileuoin". It allegedly dates from a 14th century
> source, the "Conoscimentos de todos los Reinos".

Vasilevs vasileon, vasilion vasilefsin, like it would be translated from the
Greek, meaning "King of the kings, ruling all over the kings". The Greek "B"
is pronounced as "V".

Good sources are the Wargames' Research Group books "Armies of the Dark Ages
600-1066", "Armies and the Enemies of the Crusades 1071-1291" and "Armies of
the Middle Ages, volume 2, Eastern Europe 1300-1500", all by Ian Heath.
All include excellent information of the Byzantine empire, armies, organizat-
ion, tactics, troops and emblems. The most popular Byzantine flag type was of
the vexillum-like, which hanged from a crossbar. Most popular charges were
of course the double-headed eagle, labarum (Christ-monogram), birds, and,
of course, other Christian symbols like crosses and ikons. Good sources are 
also the Osprey Men-at-arms series books of the era, although not infallible.

(Yes, I am a wargamer and one of my favorite armies is the Nikephorian
 Byzantine 963-1071. Watch out for the Katafraktoi !)


  ++ Tuomas Viljanen                     ++ For a battle like Crecy, you do ++
  ++ Lahderanta 20 A 19                  ++ not need a military genius like ++
  ++ SF-02720 Espoo FINLAND              ++ Edward III. All you need is an  ++
  ++ 358-0-592175 or c43657b@saha.hut.fi ++ idiot like Duke of Alencon.     ++
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