ABSTRACT
My approach has been rather to enquire into the way in which the Byzantines came, across the centuries, to elaborate the notion of the warrior saint, usually, at least at first, a martyr, whose specific characteristics distinguished him progressively from other categories of saints. It was necessary, as a preliminary step, to enquire into the antecedents to Byzantine militarism. These were principally Israelite tradition as presented in the Septuagint and the New Testament and Antique tradition as it was vehicled by Greek and Roman society. A point which may not be always sufficiently stressed by those who specialize in the study of Byzantine military organization and strategy is the Byzantines’ conviction that they had inherited the role of the Israelites as God’s Chosen People. In extending or defending their empire, they always relied on the support of celestial allies. Icons were carried into battle; saints were invoked, more particularly those who had been warriors in their terrestrial life.
