The tagmata of the imperial guard were complementary to the Byzantine armed forces.
A soldier of the imperial guard. Detail from an illustrated manuscript, 11th century.
Mount Athos, Esphigmenou Monastery cod. 14 (Menologio), fol. 389b.
Pelekanidis, St., Christou, P., Mauropoulou-Tsioumi, Chr., Kadas S., Hoi Thesauroi tou Hagiou Orous: Eikonographemena Cheirographa, parastaseis-epititla-archika grammata, v. II, Ekdotike Athenon S.A., Athens 1975, p. 227, pic. 352.
© Holy Community of Mount Athos.