38. Byzantine Medium Cavalry

1090

The Roman Empire continued after the Fall of Rome with a new capital, Constantinople. The soldier pictured is a Byzantine Medium Cavalryman of the last remnants of antiquity. He wears chain mail and scale armour over a printed robe, segmented "snail" helmet with peacock feather plume and carries mace, sword and shield. At a time of schism between the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches, he would have been fighting nomads from the East and later Crusaders from the West.