Reference - "Sinew" Kataphractoi Barding c. 618 AD

[Gerhard von Liebau]

Hey folks,

"...The emperor's tawny horse called Dorkon, was wounded in the thigh by some infantryman who struck it with a spear. It also received several blows of the sword on the face, but wearing as it did a cataphract made of sinew, it was not hurt, nor were the blows effective."

I'm just sifting through Theophanes' Heraklius, an account of this Byzantine Emperor's deeds during the early 7th century AD, particularly detailing his campaigns against Persia in the second decade of that century. In section 317 of the text as printed in Byzantine and Near Eastern History AD 284-813, under the description of events in the year 618, I came across a reference to what must be a rawhide barding on the Emperor's horse. I figured this would be worth noting for anyone interested in such things.

Cheers!

-Gerhard