Dear friends modellers give peace a chance
So it seems that we have a greek civil war about historical authenticity in this forum. The figure is very good and this is the only important think.
Anything that has to do with accuracy is second. It will be nice to see this sculpt as a commercial figure in the future. Accuracy is second because we have artificial work here and not historical research. If the sculptor wants
to make an Emperor it is because this image represents his personal feelings about the creation.
It is not rude to write in Greek because "Δεν είχα όρεξη που λές να μάθουν όλες οι φυλές..."and this is correct sometimes.
Lets have a look at the detail now. The helmet is correct (but not emperor helmet), and it was a common type(spagenhelm) inside roman world. The decorations are very beautiful.
The cuirass is very nice, correct. Muscle armour according to the sources were used. A very nice example is in a fresco of Kosmosotiras monastery(Feres, Evros 11th ce.), and in many other illustrated sources during 7th - 15th century .The artists of Byzantium were very accurate when they were drawing, and this is something that you can check using many archaeological evidence. Anyway you think that artists of those centuries were so stupid that they were painting the sword, the shield, the shoes the cloths any small detail even the decorations on the arms correct and were drawing the armour incorrect. Why?.
Many metal peaces details and decorations that is found in excavations ( mostly in Balkans Italy Anatolia) most of the time are the same as in the frescos.
The illustrations of the old artists specially those until 15th century are portrait of special personalities and 100% accurate. The accuracy is something you can check using the archaeological evidences, and the many description of the Byzantine literature. (“Peri Basiliou taxeos-John Porfirogenitos”etc. and many other Sources) were I found that the work of the artists are correct most of the time.
The excellent sculpted figure of the forum is very nice and correct historicaly. But the question is : Does it represent a Roman Emperor? And if yes which century.
This is something questionable because Roman Emperors(the will of god on earth) were the most important persons of their time. Therefore the most of the illustrations of that period are based on real motives, every commoner of the Empire had an image of the emperor in his mine and on his coins of cource. And all the writers wrote about them. The armor of every Roman Emperor is illustrated some were, you just have to make a small research every time. So it seems that we have all the details we need to create every emperor(well not all of them but perhaps the most of them ). Anyway when we want to reconstruct a personality of the past we have to think like an old person not like a modern one. We have to believe the old artist and writers and not the imagination of a modern one. So silk cloths were not for (gay persons) then,as it was mentioned by Costas. The Romans, Byzantines if you like, were always trying to impress the enemy with their wealth and prestige ( it was their main weapon against their enemies, except Persians that were equally civilzed), using their fine decorated amours and the expensive purple (possible guy color for some persons)silk cloths that was worn only by important persons those years. When the Roman Emperor was going to battle he was not a simple general but the leader of the army of Jesus Christ and His representation on .earth. There are many portraits of emperors that surviving until now like Basilios B for example or Nikiforos Fokas in Kapadokia , or Heraklios in many detailed sources (there is a very good work about Heraklios in Rafele D’ Amato osprey book Roman Military clothing 3). So how do you want us to believe that you represent an emperor, the book you used as main source about Byzantine – Persian War use sources that are questionable (for example we see on the cover a black bearded Heraclios and every source mention his blond hair for exaple) , and the same is about an other book about Byzantine Army of the same Publications. If I say iam an expert on Byzantines clothing and armour it is something that I can not prove. There is not any university section about it ( personally I don’t believe in “experts”). The publicity of the work of one person is not a representation of the authenticity of his research but the mention of the source. I have asked persons (Phd) that have spent to much time, to much money, and a great deal of their life on research about Byzantine –Roman world and their opinion about the color plates of those books is that they are very nice fantasy work not far but not very close to the reality. Many specific details are sometimes correct but the most of the part is fantasy one person with some experience on Byzantine icons and miniatures can understand it easily. (anyway no one source is mentioned about the figures in this books). The historical text is good. It is a petty because if that incorrect book can cause such misunderstandings among modellers what can we say about the majority of the people..
However the Figure is very good and if dear Babis (I hope so)you give it to a company I will take it for sure. Perhaps with some additional details I will Make a member of Komninos (Manouel Komninos not LAkis Komninos Family or a General or I do not Know what else. You extent my imagination. Hope to see it soon.
Keep up good work.