BYZANTINE IRON AXE

Comments: The uniqueness of this specimen is that, until now, it is the only military axe we know with this shape, which corresponds with the famous miniature of the Skilitzès Matritensis, an East Roman manuscript with beautiful illuminations of the 12^th century, representing the Varangian Guardsmen of the Emperor of Byzantium (folio 27r).

These Varangian warriors, who served for generations in the Roman Army since the 10^th century, were recorded for their love of the vine, for their loyalty to the Emperor and for their bravery in battle. The battle axe was the principal weapon of the Varangians, as recorded in the sources (Psellos, Chronographia, VI, 87 ; Anna Komnena, Alexiadis, II, 9, p. 120-IV, 6, p. 116; Choniates, Cronikh dihghsis I, 5.). The two-handed single edge cutting axe or eterostoma pelekus, dextralion was about 120-140 cm long. The particular specimen shown above whose head is, in a significant way, identical to those of the miniature, was probably mounted on a shaft of such dimension. The iron head was affixed by means of the lateral squared hole. Compared with the miniature, this axe could be attributed to a period between the 11^th and the 12^th centuries.