Byzantine heavy infantryman, late 14nth- early 15nth century (Palaiologian era).

Byzantine heavy infantryman, late 14nth- early 15nth century (Palaiologian era).
Italian and Frankish armament influences, are obvious after the fall of the "Latin Empire" in the byzantine army. This soldier is wearing a "Pilos" type steel helmet, a layer of padded armour called "Zava", a chainmail hauberk with short sleeves "Sidiroipokamison" literately meaning iron shirt, with a chain mail coif "Sidiroskoufion" and a heavy lamellar breastplate. Also he adds to his defensive equipment steel greaves extra padded layer to his thighs and an Italian "Pavise" called "Pyrgosximos" meaning tower-shield. His offensive equipment is a "Dorypelekis" meaning spear-axe, (it must have been some kind of halberd or glaive), a "Spathion" arming sword and a "Staurotokso" or "Gastrafetis" which was some kind of crossbow or arbalest.