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Possible forgeries of

Psiloi and Cavalry on a
Byzantine Casket, 11th century,
State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Ѡ-18

pp.20-21, EH - 001 Essential Histories. The Crusades. by David Nicolle
Above and opposite: Warriors on carved ivory box, Byzantine 11th-12th centuries. Most Byzantine representations of warriors, particularly those in a religious context, give the men archaic pseudo-Roman equipment that probably did not reflect current reality. On this ivory box, however, three panels seem to be more realistic and only the naked man can be dismissed as an ancient artistic convention. The kneeling warrior with a helmet, bow, spear shield and sword with a curved sabre-style hilt seems especially contemporary. (Hermitage Museum. St Petersburg, Russia. David Nicolle photographs)

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The kneeling psiloi is referenced as the upper right figure on p.31 MAA-89 Byzantine Armies 886-1118 by Ian Heath & Angus McBride
"These figures representing psiloi are taken from an assortment of 10th-century ivory caskets. The first thing we see is that, despite the military manuals’ statements to the contrary, helmets appear to have been in widespread use amongst light infantry. Bows and swords are the arms most commonly depicted on the caskets, but note that of the top two figures one has a slightly curved weapon and the other a sabre-hilted sword, both probably one-edged parameria."

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The pair of psiloi are referenced on p.30, Byzantine Infantryman, Eastern Roman Empire c.900-1024 by Timothy Dawson
In contrast to the ivories of individual warriors, which show open shield positions more characteristic of single combat, this carving of engagement on the front of an ivory casket shows both men in closed guards more typical of battlefield techniques. The man on the left is armed with a spear, while the swordsman has adopted a close covering to counter the speed and directness of the thrust or cast.