Scylitzes Chronicle

f86r The future emperor Basil I the Macedonian hunting in the presence of the Emperor Michael III.

f86r Skylitzes Chronicle (Codex Græcus Matritensis). The future emperor Basil I the Macedonian hunting in the presence of the Emperor Michael III.

Source: Skyllitzes Matritensis, Biblioteca Nacional de España

Basil (at that time Protostrator) rode, as prescribed, before the Emperor, and wore at his belt the imperial war mace (τό ρόπαλον το βαςσιλικόν επί τήςσ ζώνηςσ αυτού), usually called Vardoukion. Then suddenly a wolf appeared: Basil rode against him and threw on its back the imperial vardoukion, which hit the animal in the middle of the head and divided it in two parts (Theophanes Continuatus, 231,22-232,8). The illuminated codex Skilitzès Matritensis, in which the scene is represented (folio 86r), shows with good detail the shape of the weapon.
Source: "THE WAR-MACE OF BYZANTIUM, 9-15 C. AD. NEW EVIDENCE FROM THE BALKANS IN THE COLLECTION OF THE WORLD MUSEUM OF MAN, FLORIDA" by Raffaele D’Amato in Acta Militaria Mediaevalia VII

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