Dawson Timothy. By the Emperor’s Hand: Military Dress and Court Regalia in the Later Romano-Byzantine Empire

Frontline Books, 2016. — 304 p.By the sixth century of the common era the Roman Empire already had many hundreds of years of accumulated ceremony embedded in its government, and practical science embodied in its army.The transition from Republic to Imperium and the more hierarchical structure that entailed, and the absorption of Christianity into state processes, had pushed the development of court ceremonial apace, and particularly driven its embodiment and display in ever more opulent regalia. The regalia embraced not only garments of distinctive form and decoration, but also both dress and non-dress accessories. It was crucial in displaying rank and function on an everyday basis, yet was also varied considerably for special occasions. Military dress largely reflected forms current amongst ordinary men, but with an emphasis on functionality, eschewing the excesses of fashion.Detailed literary and artistic sources, archaeology and insights derived from reconstruction and practical experience has gone into creating an incredibly lavish picture of the clothing of the longest-enduring political entity in history.List of platesTribulation: late antiquity to the ninth century
Restoration: the klêtôrologion
Stability: the book of ceremonies onwards
Age of change: 1025 to 1204
Resplendent twilight: 1204 to 1453Tables
Combined Taktika across the Period
Summary of the Regalia of the Late Ninth to Early Eleventh Centuries
Summary of the Regalia of the Palaiologian Period
ChartsPicture credits
Plates
Robing the empress: sixth century
Soldiers, 650–900
Courtier and Officer c. 650–900
Courtier and servant
Ladies of the court, c.650–900
Mobilisation!
Junior courtiers, ninth to early eleventh centuries
Soldiers on parade, tenth century
Hail to the rulers! Triumphal regalia, tenth–eleventh centuries
Judicial officers, tenth–eleventh centuries
Courtiers and officers to c.1050
The most eminent ladies of the court, tenth–eleventh centuries
Women of the court, eleventh–twelfth centuries
Emperor and courtiers, late twelfth century
Soldiery, Palaiologian era
Senior courtiers, Palaiologian era
Ladies of the upper court, Palaiologian era
Junior courtiers, Palaiologian era
On the edge of the court, Palaiologian era