A Guide to Byzantine Infantry

Part 1 - Garb

The Chimera Legion portrays a unit of Byzantine infantry, so Let's take a look at their garb and equipment.

As this graphic shows, the soldiers' look varied greatly over nearly 1,000 years.

But there are still some general observations we can make. Let's begin with basic garb, 

Torso

As demonstrated by this soldier, the most noticeable piece of garb is a knee-length, long-sleeve tunic. This type of tunic was common across Europe through most of the Middle Ages. His tunic is white, but the color may vary.

The Chimera Legion has adopted red as its uniform color. For an inexpensive option, we recommend the Ready for Battle tunic. It is not strictly authentic (short sleeves for instance) but it will suffice for our purposes, especially if you wear bracers. You could also wear a long-sleeve shirt underneath to give the impression of an undertunic.

Add a belt (preferably leather) to cinch the tunic at your waist.

Legs

While bare legs were the norm in the early Roman Empire, by Byzantine days legwear was the standard. Similar to western Europe, hosen (wool stockings) over braies (kind of like boxer shorts) was typical.

Notice the look that these leggings give. The material is not baggy but is fairly tight on the leg. You don't need to get reproductions of these garments to achieve this look. Just look for pants that are close to the leg. In a pinch, plain-colored sweatpants will work, but you can also find reasonably priced costume pants.

One nice thing about the Byzantines is their cultural diversity. They had contact with a myriad of cultures, which means that we can get away with some diversity in garb. A perfect example would be Rus pants, like these.

The Varangians (basically Vikings in Byzantine service) may have worn something similar. While tight legged pants are more common in the Empire, baggy is OK.

The Chimera Legion does not have specific pants requirements. Bare leg, hosen (real or simulated), or even baggy Rus pants are acceptable. We recommend but do not require a light color - white or off-white.

However, there are some types of pants that are not really acceptable. When acquiring garb, stay away from jeans or straight-legged pants like khakis. Do not get wild, fluorescent colors or anything with printed patterns or logos. Finally, avoid wrap pants. These are very popular in battle gaming circles, but bear little resemblance to any period legwear. They look more like modern basketball trousers than anything medieval.

Feet

The most common footwear for the Byzantine soldier appears to be knee-high or thigh-high boots. The leather would be thick enough to serve as leg protection.

Note that this differs from western Europe, which tended to low boots or shoes.

The Chimera Legion does not require boots. Low shoes are fine. Shoes or boots, however, should be black or brown.

Head

The Byzantines sported a plethora of different hats and headwear, but soldiers would be more limited. Surprisingly, the most common form of headwear would be a turban.

A turban can be fashioned from a piece of cloth. This video shows how Byzantines tied their turbans. 

Another option is the so-called Pannonian or pillbox cap. This style appears more common in the early Empire.

Either option (as well as bareheaded) is acceptable for soldiers of the Chimera Legion. Medieval Collectibles offers some useful options: a wool cap that is close to a pillbox cap and a head scarf for making a turban. In either case, the Legion recommends a light color.

The Legion will accept other types of period-style headwear. For example, a Varangian persona may want to wear a Viking-style cap. Speak to an officer to confirm if an item is acceptable.

NEXT We'll talk about armor.

Sources:

• 800 Years of Byzantine Infantry - YouTube video
• Byzantine Infantryman: Eastern Roman Empire c. 900-1204 by Timothy Dawson, one of the world's foremost experts on the Byzantines
• Levantia - Timothy Dawson's website