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Illustration from

Scylitzes Chronicle

f86r The future emperor Basil I the Macedonian hunting in the presence of the Emperor Michael III.




Source: Skyllitzes Matritensis, Biblioteca Nacional de Espańa




Basil (at that time Protostrator) rode, as prescribed, before the Emperor, and wore at his belt the imperial war mace (τό ρόπαλον το βαςσιλικόν επί τήςσ ζώνηςσ αυτού), usually called Vardoukion. Then suddenly a wolf appeared: Basil rode against him and threw on its back the imperial vardoukion, which hit the animal in the middle of the head and divided it in two parts (Theophanes Continuatus, 231,22-232,8). The illuminated codex Skilitzčs Matritensis, in which the scene is represented (folio 86r), shows with good detail the shape of the weapon.
Source: "THE WAR-MACE OF BYZANTIUM, 9-15 C. AD. NEW EVIDENCE FROM THE BALKANS IN THE COLLECTION OF THE WORLD MUSEUM OF MAN, FLORIDA" by Raffaele D’Amato in Acta Militaria Mediaevalia VII
Back to Codex Gręcus Matritensis Ioannis Skyllitzes (Synopsis of Histories by John Scylitzes)