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Description

Commissioned artwork (2013) used as cover art in the illustrated children’s title “Alexander the Great-legend and History” concerning the military achievements of Alexander and the relevant legends created in the cause of history.

Armor research: Alexander’s depiction in full body armor but without helmet is based in the famous Alexander’s mosaic, is based in the famous Alexander’s mosaic, the most popular source to writers and illustrators for reconstructions of this subject the last 40 years (of course here is presented my personal view of reconstructing the Alexander’s armor by studying the mosaic). The depiction of Alexander in the mosaic riding in battle without helmet may served an artistic propaganda because in the ancient world such an attitude is considered extremely bold and brave as the horse’s neck and rider’s head was a tempting target for enemy lances and cutting swords. Alexander anyway favored heroic leadership and is renowned for taking risks in order to inspire others to extreme action. The warrior king wears a long sleeved Persian tunic dyed purple (ιn particular a mauve variation of this expensive dye). Such garments were a fashion trend for Greek cavalrymen in the fourth century.

The Macedonian kings and nobles also had a taste for expensive armors made especially for them by renowned armorers.
Alexander is known from ancient pictorial sources to wear (at least) four different suits of armor and three different helmets (Boeotian, Thraco-Frygian and a famous lion head shaped Chalcidian type). The torso armor Alexander wears in the famous mosaic is of the composite type and very sophisticated as it is made by alternative layers of linen and steel plates forged in specific temperatures in order to become as impenetrable by spearheads and in the same time as light as possible. The king should be efficiently protected but also capable to stand on his feet and fight again (ιn case he was overthrown by his horse during a battle) without extreme armor burden preventing his mobility. The green waistband bordered in gold thread is a mark of rank (it probably bears the distinctive colors of a specifick subdivision of the Companions cavalry under Alexander's direct command) The defensive armament of the king is completed from iron scales and leather or linen fringed flaps covering the lower torso and the shoulder joints.

©Karakotsoglou publications (illustration is included in this gallery with permission of the publisher) - Armor research: Christos Giannopoulos

Description

Commissioned artwork (2013) used as cover art in the illustrated children’s title “Alexander the Great-legend and History” concerning the military achievements of Alexander and the relevant legends created in the cause of history.

Armor research: Alexander’s depiction in full body armor but without helmet is based in the famous Alexander’s mosaic, is based in the famous Alexander’s mosaic, the most popular source to writers and illustrators for reconstructions of this subject the last 40 years (of course here is presented my personal view of reconstructing the Alexander’s armor by studying the mosaic). The depiction of Alexander in the mosaic riding in battle without helmet may served an artistic propaganda because in the ancient world such an attitude is considered extremely bold and brave as the horse’s neck and rider’s head was a tempting target for enemy lances and cutting swords. Alexander anyway favored heroic leadership and is renowned for taking risks in order to inspire others to extreme action. The warrior king wears a long sleeved Persian tunic dyed purple (ιn particular a mauve variation of this expensive dye). Such garments were a fashion trend for Greek cavalrymen in the fourth century.

The Macedonian kings and nobles also had a taste for expensive armors made especially for them by renowned armorers.
Alexander is known from ancient pictorial sources to wear (at least) four different suits of armor and three different helmets (Boeotian, Thraco-Frygian and a famous lion head shaped Chalcidian type). The torso armor Alexander wears in the famous mosaic is of the composite type and very sophisticated as it is made by alternative layers of linen and steel plates forged in specific temperatures in order to become as impenetrable by spearheads and in the same time as light as possible. The king should be efficiently protected but also capable to stand on his feet and fight again (ιn case he was overthrown by his horse during a battle) without extreme armor burden preventing his mobility. The green waistband bordered in gold thread is a mark of rank (it probably bears the distinctive colors of a specifick subdivision of the Companions cavalry under Alexander's direct command) The defensive armament of the king is completed from iron scales and leather or linen fringed flaps covering the lower torso and the shoulder joints.

©Karakotsoglou publications (illustration is included in this gallery with permission of the publisher) - Armor research: Christos Giannopoulos