Kataphraktoi

[Krusader]

Get the book Byzantine Armies 886-1118 by Ian Heath, published by Osprey. Has good info on the Kataphraktoi and klibanophoroi.

[Magister Pediyum]

There are only three army text books about armys of romeic empire i have read all three and not one specifies what is the difference about Kataphraktoi and klibanophoroi.Come on people Romeic text writhen by Romans not mine or yours presumptions on what they supposed to look like.One text one evidence and i will back off.Only one.

[Steppe Merc]

Magister Pediyum, it isn't just guesses. And I have read a difference. Klibanophoroi are heavy armoured elite cavalry, while Kataphraktoi were not as heavy.

Read Byzantine Armies 886-1118 by Ian Heath, published by Osprey.

[Magister Pediyum]

IF you read it carefully at the end of the work there isn't one single conformation about Romeic sources just description of other nations ''semiliteral barbaric people who fought most as infantry' about Romeic cavalry .Heavy cavalry in late medieval days a those in 6the or even 8the century is like a tanks now and in 1905.And further more JO.BA.Burry is telling us that when Komnenni dynasty ruled Romans from 1081 to 1185 old wheys have gone from the Roman army we have a source from 1151 and campings of Emperor Manuel I under the walls of Antioch,that claims even the emperor himself rides more as a latin the as greek.

[Steppe Merc]

''semiliteral barbaric people who fought most as infantry' about Romeic cavalry

Well, if you aren't going to be biased, why even bother?
Besides, it was those "semi literiate barbarians who fought on horse who created the entire heavy cavalry type.

[Magister Pediyum]

Don't give me wrong when i said semiliteral barbaric people i meant in the eyes of the Romans well slavs where amongst these barbarians also.
What i want to say it is needed for one to claim such thing as a fact that one has to have solid evidence in history and really i for six yars of studying medieval history didn't came up on one single thing.
We Don't now for fact what was the evolution off the Kataphraktoi but i pesonaly like the idea that something off another form was included in the Roman army.
We have in Belgrade some pictures from the campings of the Emperor Leo VI the Wise that can give you some insight into whath Klibanophoroi may have looked like i will send you the pictures if you give me your e-mail.

[Steppe Merc]

Sounds interesting. And sorry, didn't mean to jump down your throat, I'm just very sensitive to calling people barbarians.
Here you go:
steppemerc@hotmail.com

To me, the heavy cavalry of the Byzantine era in particular seems very much based on Sassanian heavy horse, but that's the sort of stuff I know of. Certaintly the Byzantines took many ideas from the Persians and later steppe style armies.
Does Anna Kommena (or something like that) mention anything about klibanophoroi and kataphraktoi? I know she mentions numerous soldier types, though I've only read bits and pieces of her work myself.