Kotthybos (Greek: κότθυβος) was a type of Macedonian body armour.
Fresco of Macedonian soldiers, the two on the left wear purple armour with rows of pteruges, possibly depictions of the kotthybos. Tomb of Agios Athanasios, Thessaloniki, Greece, 4th century BC
The name originally referred to a metallic cooking pot used by ancient Macedonian soldiers to prepare their own food.[1] The term appears to be a variant of terms such as kossymbos and kosymbe.[2]
Use and possible constructionedit
Ancient sources are unclear as to the form of the kotthybos, but the context of references to it indicates that it was a form of armour associated with the 'Foot Companions' (Pezhetairoi) who formed the Macedonian phalanx. It is recorded that the fine of 2 obols imposed on a soldier for losing a kotthybos, was the same as for the konos, a simple, conical, bronze helmet, and less than for the sarissa, a long pike.[3]
Modern scholars are divided as to what the kotthybos was; some consider it a padded garment worn under other forms of armour, whilst the majority regard it an alternative term for the spolas orlinothorax (neologism), the typical Hellenic and Hellenistic armour made of glued or stitched layers of linen, or a combination of layers of linen and leather. It is likely that the old armours that Alexander the Great ordered to be burnt, and were therefore non-metallic, were examples of the kotthybos.[4]
kotthybos, greek, κότθυβος, type, macedonian, body, armour, fresco, macedonian, soldiers, left, wear, purple, armour, with, rows, pteruges, possibly, depictions, kotthybos, tomb, agios, athanasios, thessaloniki, greece, century, contents, etymology, possible, . Kotthybos Greek kot8ybos was a type of Macedonian body armour Fresco of Macedonian soldiers the two on the left wear purple armour with rows of pteruges possibly depictions of the kotthybos Tomb of Agios Athanasios Thessaloniki Greece 4th century BC Contents 1 Etymology 2 Use and possible construction 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 See alsoEtymology editThe name originally referred to a metallic cooking pot used by ancient Macedonian soldiers to prepare their own food 1 The term appears to be a variant of terms such as kossymbos and kosymbe 2 Use and possible construction editAncient sources are unclear as to the form of the kotthybos but the context of references to it indicates that it was a form of armour associated with the Foot Companions Pezhetairoi who formed the Macedonian phalanx It is recorded that the fine of 2 obols imposed on a soldier for losing a kotthybos was the same as for the konos a simple conical bronze helmet and less than for the sarissa a long pike 3 Modern scholars are divided as to what the kotthybos was some consider it a padded garment worn under other forms of armour whilst the majority regard it an alternative term for the spolas orlinothorax neologism the typical Hellenic and Hellenistic armour made of glued or stitched layers of linen or a combination of layers of linen and leather It is likely that the old armours that Alexander the Great ordered to be burnt and were therefore non metallic were examples of the kotthybos 4 References edit Hammond p 34 Heckel and Jones p 24 Crawford and Whitehead p 596 Matthew pp 116 119 120 and note 134Bibliography editCrawford M H and Whitehead D 1983 Archaic and Classical Greece A Selection of Ancient Sources in Translation Cambridge University Press Hammond N G l 1989 Alexander the Great King Commander and Statesman Bloomsbury Academic ISBN 1 85399 068 X Heckel W and Jones R 2006 Macedonian Warrior Alexander s elite infantryman Osprey ISBN 978 1 84176 950 9 Matthew C 2015 An Invincible Beast Understanding the Hellenistic Pike Phalanx in Action Pen and Sword See also editKonos Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kotthybos amp oldid 1074293938, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
