An Arab Chamfron in Scylitzes Chronicle?

[druzhina345]

A drawing of an Arab cavalry horse with chamfron in Scylitzes Chronicle appeared as fig. 609I in David Nicolle's 1982 PHD thesis: "The military technology of classical Islam"

It has appeared in subsequent publications and by other authors. It appears as follows in 'Horse Armour in the Medieval Islamic Middle East' by David Nicolle (2017):

Fig. 12. Fleeing Saracen, Skylitzes Chronicle, Siculo‑Byzantine, late 12th–early 13th century AD (Biblioteca Nacional, Cod/5‑3. N2, f.54v, Madrid).


The figure it is based on is

Folio 5v, 'Scylitzes Chronicle' – A battle between Byzantines and Arabs.

Although blue could be used to represent iron, this is a blue horse with a darker blue face (except for a blaze), dark blue mane, left fore-leg and lower right fore-leg.
There is no circular eye-hole, the eye is eye-shape.

Does this horse have a chamfron?

mirror site
Folio 5v, 'Scylitzes Chronicle' – A battle between Byzantines and Arabs.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Arab Costume & Soldiers

[AqD]

Why did he dress like Scythians several centuries earlier, aside from the stirrup? Also the one behind (left) wears the Greek/Roman style strips on shoulders and waist.

[druzhina345]

Why did he dress like Scythians several centuries earlier, aside from the stirrup? Also the one behind (left) wears the Greek/Roman style strips on shoulders and waist.

Which depiction of Skythians are you thinking of?

Either the Arab was copying a Byzantine style or the artist assumed the Arabs would copy Byzantine style.

Druzhina345
Illustrations of Scythian Costume & Soldiers

[AqD]

Which depiction of Skythians are you thinking of?

Either the Arab was copying a Byzantine style or the artist assumed the Arabs would copy Byzantine style.

Not depiction, this:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Why did they copy Byzantine style since they effectively replaced Persians? The latter's equipment should be more readily available and they're not inferior.

[druzhina345]

The only similarity seems to be the gold colour. Scylitzes warrior has scale armour, which was widespread. The Skythian has a coat that has a right over left closure, covered with gold arrow-shaped appliqué - see here & a large image.
The Scylitzes warrior has long boots probably held up by a strap that goes up and under the tunic to a belt. See a Kipchak Balbal at Luhansk, 11th century and a detail of a Bezeklik (Bäzäklik) Fresco, 6-8th century


The Muslims did not only replace Persian rule in Iraq and Iran, they replaced Byzantine rule in Syria and Egypt. The locals continued to produce images in Byzantine style, see a Fresco of St. Bacchus, Church of Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi, Nabk, Syria, portrayed as a Byzantine cavalryman, 1208-9AD

Druzhina345
Tokharians and Uighurs of the City States of Central Asia in Frescos etc from the Tarim Basin