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Description

Commissioned artwork published 2012 in Holland, (Ancient Warfare Magazine, Vol VI, Issue1). The Trojan War epic emerges in a dimension between history and legend and the illustration concerned an article studying the ultra-violence escalating between Achaean kingdoms and Trojan alliance of eastern Aegean as the prolonged war reached the tenth year.

Illustration scenario: The Achaean alliance is demoralized and weakened by plaque and famous Achilles has quarreled with king Agamemnon (the supreme leader of the alliance) and withdrawn his army from action. As prince Hector of Troy unleashes 50.000 troops (Trojans, Anatolian and Thracian allies and also mercenaries) in a desperate attack against the fortified Greek camp in the beach near Scamandrian plains, the cornered Achaeans (as Greeks were known in Iliad) try to repell them, overwhelmed by fear and battle frenzy. Ajax son of Oileus, fighting on the rumbled fortifications of the camp, overcomes an eastern Aegean warlord, ally of the Trojans, and by using his severed head as trophy warns the Trojans about what to be expected if they push the Achaeans even more…In the background we see Ajax Telamon in plate armor and carrying his famous tower shaped shield and Diomedes. Ajax Telamon usually is described in fighting without torso armor in the battlefield, but here we are dealing with something which is more siege warfare with violence in narrow spaces and debris…

Armor research: The depicted character is also known as Lesser Ajax or Ajax of Locris. In Homer’s Iliad he is described as wearing a linothorax as torso armor. The Bronze Age linothorax is depicted in Mycenaean frescoes or vases as padded linen, sometimes reinforced with broad belts (or “zostires”) from leather or metal or both. It is not unusual that extra metal parts (such as bronze shoulder pieces, the so called “epomia” or Homeric “kytos”) to be used for additional protection and worn over the linen. His helmet is of Locrian origin and resembles the “peoples of the sea” tiara shape helmets. One important detail in this picture is that Ajax has his sword hang from the back (like fantasy warriors of modern action gaming or movies). It is a fashion apparent in Bronze Age Greece and depicted in Mycenaean vases. The carrying of two spears (for stubbing or throwing) is a standard Homeric pattern, but in my opinion is more accurate for “meta Mycenaean” early Iron age warriors. I have included this detail in order to cover any aspect.

Copyright-Armor research and reconstruction: Christos Giannopoulos (2012)

Description

Commissioned artwork published 2012 in Holland, (Ancient Warfare Magazine, Vol VI, Issue1). The Trojan War epic emerges in a dimension between history and legend and the illustration concerned an article studying the ultra-violence escalating between Achaean kingdoms and Trojan alliance of eastern Aegean as the prolonged war reached the tenth year.

Illustration scenario: The Achaean alliance is demoralized and weakened by plaque and famous Achilles has quarreled with king Agamemnon (the supreme leader of the alliance) and withdrawn his army from action. As prince Hector of Troy unleashes 50.000 troops (Trojans, Anatolian and Thracian allies and also mercenaries) in a desperate attack against the fortified Greek camp in the beach near Scamandrian plains, the cornered Achaeans (as Greeks were known in Iliad) try to repell them, overwhelmed by fear and battle frenzy. Ajax son of Oileus, fighting on the rumbled fortifications of the camp, overcomes an eastern Aegean warlord, ally of the Trojans, and by using his severed head as trophy warns the Trojans about what to be expected if they push the Achaeans even more…In the background we see Ajax Telamon in plate armor and carrying his famous tower shaped shield and Diomedes. Ajax Telamon usually is described in fighting without torso armor in the battlefield, but here we are dealing with something which is more siege warfare with violence in narrow spaces and debris…

Armor research: The depicted character is also known as Lesser Ajax or Ajax of Locris. In Homer’s Iliad he is described as wearing a linothorax as torso armor. The Bronze Age linothorax is depicted in Mycenaean frescoes or vases as padded linen, sometimes reinforced with broad belts (or “zostires”) from leather or metal or both. It is not unusual that extra metal parts (such as bronze shoulder pieces, the so called “epomia” or Homeric “kytos”) to be used for additional protection and worn over the linen. His helmet is of Locrian origin and resembles the “peoples of the sea” tiara shape helmets. One important detail in this picture is that Ajax has his sword hang from the back (like fantasy warriors of modern action gaming or movies). It is a fashion apparent in Bronze Age Greece and depicted in Mycenaean vases. The carrying of two spears (for stubbing or throwing) is a standard Homeric pattern, but in my opinion is more accurate for “meta Mycenaean” early Iron age warriors. I have included this detail in order to cover any aspect.

Copyright-Armor research and reconstruction: Christos Giannopoulos (2012)