PROTECTIVE WARRIORS

The rulers of Byzantium were protected both by their own soldiers and by a heavenly army of military saints, who played a key role in the empire's triumphs. Enthusiastically adopted by the recently-baptized Rus in the tenth century, these saints provided models for the first native saints of the East Slavs, the martyred princes Boris and Gleb.

By Monica White

The advanced technology of modern armies has changed almost every aspect of warfare from its medieval counterpart, but some problems facing today's generals would be recognizable to their distant predecessors. What is the best way to motivate soldiers facing possible death on the battlefield? How can they be reassured that their efforts are not in vain, even if they do not survive? How can a sense of collective purpose be instilled in those fighting? The medieval responses to these questions were as diverse as the medieval societies and armies themselves, but in the Christian sphere they often involved saints. The east Roman or Byzantine Empire developed a particularly vibrant cult of military saints starting in the early tenth century. At this time, Byzantium was beginning to gain some breathing room after…

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Medieval World (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 2 - 2022

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