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Illustrations depicting 9th Century Carolingian Soldiers from
The Golden Psalter of St. Gallen
Stiftsbibliothek, Cod. Sang. 22

Joab slew 12,000 Edomites in Salt Valley

Illustration from Psalm 59 (60) continued, page 141


A larger image of Joab slew 12,000 Edomites in Salt Valley, The Golden Psalter of St. Gallen

p. 141 Fortsetzung der Illustration zum Titulus von Ps 59, zweizonig, oben Erstürmung der Stadt Edom u. Brandschatzung durch Reiter u. Fußvolk, unten wohl Übergabe der Stadt an Joab u. dessen Reiter.
[Continuation of the illustration of Psalm 59, two registers, above: storming of the city of Edom and pillage by horsemen and foot soldiers, and below: surrender of the city to Joab, and his horsemen.]

CAROLINGIAN SIEGE
This late ninth-century illumination of a Biblical siege by Joab found in the Golden Psalter (now held in the library of the Saint-Gall Monastery in Switzerland [Saint-Gallen-Stiftsbibliothek, MS 22]) beautifully depicts all the arms and armor used by Carolingian soldiers. Both infantry and cavalry are portrayed, although there is little distinction in their arms or armor. All wear the Carolingian mail byrnie, made of several thousand interlinked metal circles. This armor, so highly valued by Charlemagne that he forbade its sale outside his empire, on pain of death, protected the soldiers’ torso, upper arms, groin, and thighs. All wear the Carolingian helmet, its very distinctive wide brim rising to a peak in the front. Also depicted are several large, round shields, their convex shape, large and pronounced boss, and traditional decoration are clearly seen on the one held by a soldier in the besieged town at the top of the illustration. A number of weapons are also shown: lances used by cavalry; spears used by infantry—who thrust them with two hands; long swords wielded by both cavalry and infantry, but also worn by the infantry using lances; and a bow surprisingly fired only by a mounted archer and not by any of the besieged soldiers as is common in many medieval siege scenes. A banner different from those seen in other Carolingian illustrations is carried by a cavalry soldier in the upper siege. Finally, stirrups can be clearly seen descending from the horses’ saddles.
Source: p.241, Medieval Weapons: An Illustrated History of Their Impact by Kelly DeVries & Robert D. Smith (2007)