I have been reading 'Sowing the Dragon's Teeth: Byzantine Warfare in the Tenth Century' by Eric McGeer.
In the discussion around the cataphract he notes that when attacking they used a blunted wedge formation where the first for rows would use maces. After that the people on the outside would use lances. In the core you have guys with arrows and everybody should have a saber like sword as a backup. Is also noted that all the non-archers where using shilds.
So my question is, what kind of mace where they using? What kind of head? Is there a good picture of a original? How long where they?
Certainly. The maces used by the Byzantine Kataphractoi were generally known as the bardoukion ("sledgehammer") or the matzoukion ("mace"), although other more obscure names were also used. These maces are mentioned in several primary sources, notably, the Taktika of Leo VI and the Praecepta Militaria of Nikephoros II Phokas. The authors describe them as having knob-shaped or polygonal heads with flanges to help puncture helmets and mail more easily. Early on, the maces were made to be short enough to be thrown as projectiles, perhaps 14" at most, but later, they became longer, upwards of 24" or more. As noted, there are many examples of these maces that have been uncovered over the years at various sites within the former territory of the Byzantine Empire.
saber like sword
paramerion :)
