"The Rabbula Syraic Gospels, Northern Syria, 586AD" Topic

Folio 4r, the Rabbula Gospels Evangelia characteribus Syriacis exarata Northern Syria, 586AD
Joshua in the the Rabbula Gospels
Angel of the Annunciation in the Rabbula Gospels with shield & javelin?
Folio 13r, the Crucifixion, in the Rabbula Gospels Evangelia characteribus Syriacis exarata Northern Syria, 586AD

Joshua appears to have a breast & shoulder straps, pteruges on the arms & waist and a segmented helmet. The spearhead has a waist which David Nicolle relates to the Daylami.

MIRROR SITE
Folio 4r, the Rabbula Gospels Evangelia characteribus Syriacis exarata Northern Syria, 586AD
Folio 13r, the Crucifixion, in the Rabbula Gospels Evangelia characteribus Syriacis exarata Northern Syria, 586AD

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

One could certainly write a thesis on the artistic license used in such works. "You want shields with designs on all those enemies being smoted !!£%??!"

But I reckon those are angels wings not a shield

I do wonder if the angel is Michael and is carrying a sword.
The angel of annunciation makes sense paired with Mary but this and another page have other 'stand alone' images. If only my Syriac was better :)

P.

One could certainly write a thesis on the artistic license used in such works. "You want shields with designs on all those enemies being smoted !!£%??!"

But I reckon those are angels wings not a shield.

It is smitten or smit not "smoted".

It could be a wing. What does it have in its left hand and what is attached to the upper end of this stick like projection? It would be the inside of a shield if shown, so designs on shields don't come into it.

I think the Joshua figure is more interesting.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

I do wonder if the angel is Michael and is carrying a sword.
The angel of annunciation makes sense paired with Mary but this and another page have other 'stand alone' images. If only my Syriac was better :)

P.

See the reference link for folio captions. I think if it was a named angel (messenger) the name would be given. Folio 3v (3b) has another annunciation scene. The holding up of a finger(s) seems to indicate interaction or speech in these and the resurrection scenes.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

The angel of the annunciation is a named one – Gabriel. I'll accept it is him though.

The curved bit at the top of the stick/sword/javelin is probably just one of the smears, stains and dribbles seen elsewhere such as to the right in the table and not far below the angel. Some of the dribbles are rather large – look at the yellow on the next page. The streak by the baptism has been interpreted as a flame or a smear but the others on the same page are clearly the work of a sloppy artist! See link for some more info.

I note the 'leopard skin' trousers that have elsewhere been atributed to Isauran soldiers. Hopefully Roy Boss will comment if he sees this.

BTW Druzhina you do a grand job here and many of us appreciate it.

Yes, I see Gabriel is named in Luke 1:19 & 26.
David Nicolle notes a sword with asymmetrical quillons in a crucifixion scene, but this may just be the sloppy artist.
I'll have a look at the PDF, thanks.

I didn't know the significance of the spots on the trousers – very interesting.

Druzhina
Ancient Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

Massimo Bernaḅ writes (in Swampster's link) that the Rabbula Gospels manuscript is a compilation of 3 parts from different sources, so the 1st 14 folios with the illuminations was not written in Bet Mar Yohannan of Zagba, Northern Syria, by Rabbula in 586AD, but, it is probably from 6th century Syria.
There was some overpainting of miniatures on folios 13 and 14 perhaps in renaissance Italy, particularly folio 13r which now has perspective.

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

I still worry about the representation of armour on Joshua. Does it represent real life armour at the time or is it a poor attempt to show a classical armour with shoulder pieces and pteruges.

The helmet is really interesting and does look realistic. It is reminiscent if the helmets made of many shaped laminae and found at Kerch and in an Allamannic context..
I wonder what Joshua is carrying, is it a bag or a deeply dished shield such as those shown in mosaics from Jordan?
The figure shown thrusting the spear into Christ's side appears to be in standard Roman VIth century kit. with red tunic, white breeches and black leggings. I would contrast that style of dress with the Irano German style worn by say the soldiers on the Throne of Bishop Maximian in Ravenna who have embroidered Gothic tunics and wide trousers. Interestingly the mosaics from Carthage that show Vandal landowners riding have one in Roman style breeches and one in the wide trousers with embroidered bottoms.
I have suggested the patterned trousers for Isaurians in the past because they are used by the Romans to signify Easterners. They are worn by Trojans in IIRC the Vergil Romanus and by depictions of the three wise men (from the East) such as that at Ravenna.

I wonder what Joshua is carrying

I thought it was a cloak.

The same scene of 'Joshua stopping the stars' appears in the Syriac Bible of Paris, BnF MS. Syriaque 341, Syria or Turkey, 7th Century (Wikipedia has 6th or 7thC).

One of Pharaoh's guards in the Syriac Bible of Paris may be wearing a helmet.

MIRROR SITE
Syriac Bible of Paris
Syriac Bible of Paris. f8r, Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh

Druzhina
‌Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

You could well be right about the cloak, though is there a fastening?
The guard of pharaoh almost certainly wears a helmet and I think its like the helmets in the Kunstshistoriches museum in Vienna. I suggest that the figures on Maximian's chair are wearing similar rounded helmets that have been classicised.