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Imperator Cat

@CatImperator

Apr 5 • 11 tweets • 5 min read • Read on X

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As a huge #Tolkien fan, I am amazed at how many artists brought his Middle Earth to life.

Alan Lee, Ted Nasmith, Marc Simonetti, and even the Queen of Denmark!

But my favourite is Denis Gordeev, a Russian who made Tolkien's characters and world truly medieval (and real).

Just look at the vibrant world and colourful costumes of the Gordeev medieval #LOTR characters. We should remember the Middle Ages were a far cry from Holywood's drab and grey world.

Filled with colours, like in this scene of Aragorn's coronation. A crown for the king! /1

Or look at the chaos of the Fall of Gondolin (Gordeev illustrated all Tolkien's books), with wrym employed as a sort of siege weapon while Turgon is wearing full battle regalia. Majestic, isn't it? /2

Gordeev is also a master of human emotion. Check this tragic scene of Faramir brought to his father, Denethor! With the silent royal marble statues observing the unfolding drama. /3

Or light (and shadow). Like in this case where Legolas and Gimli are riding to fight the forces of Darkness. Just look at that contrast between forces of good and evil /4

A whole story in one illustration. Eowyn, the maid of Rohan, confronts the Witch King, with Merry helplessly watching and King Theoden stuck under his horse! While the battle rages on... /5

Or probably the best scene I have ever seen depicting the collapse (literally) of the fortress of Barad Dur

You can almost imagine this scene in motion. /6

And ofcourse romance. Faramir and Eowyn enjoyed their sweet victory. Such an innocent but also passionate kiss. /7

Not all illustrations are in colour. But B&W does not change the power of Geordeev's art. Arwen looked as elegant as ever, and Aragorn dressed simply, but every detail pointed to his royalty. /8

Those are just a few of the many beautiful illustrations by which this talented artist brought Tolkien's world to life. He also did some of the best art for #TheWitcher, so when you have time, do a bit of Google search. You'll be rewarded. :) /9

Ok, will break with my custom and share few more fascinating art

Shadowfax - the lord of all horses, looking fabulous and not impressed

Frodo on Glorfindel horse

Sam telling Faramir to go to...

And, ofcourse...They are taking the hobbits to Isengard :)

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More from @CatImperator

Imperator Cat

@CatImperator

Nov 10

So you wanna be a Varangian?

The bodyguard of the Byzantine Emperor, ready to die for his master, but also spend hours of boredom carving graffiti during a solemn mass in Hagia Sophia?

It is an arduous and dangerous work, but it also brings wealth and fame.

A thread 🧵

Joining the Varangian Guard meant pledging loyalty to the Emperor of the #Romans - a rare honour for a foreigner, especially one from the north.

To be a Varangian, you must be from the North, far beyond the imperial territory. Depending on the time, your ethnicity mattered. /1

From ca. 980 to 1020ish, you would get an entry to the Great Palace, if you happened to be from Kievan Rus

Varangian Guard was established around 980 when Basil II received thousands of Kievan soldiers in exchange for the marriage of a Byzantine princess to the Prince of Kiev /2

Read 20 tweets

Imperator Cat

@CatImperator

Sep 2

The course of history is not decided by one single event, but pivotal moments do happen, and they have a far-reaching impact

One such event is the Battle of Actium, where Octavian's naval forces defeated the combined fleet of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, #OTD, in 31 BC

A thread🧵

The Battle of Actium was the culmination of a decade-long rivalry between two most powerful men in Late Republican Rome:

Octavian, Julius Caesar's adoptive son, and Mark Antony, Caesar's ally and favorite general

The two initially worked together to avenge Caesar's murder... /1

...but personal ambitions and conflicting agendas put the two onto a collision course.

The "cold war" turned hot after Mark Antony publicly declared that he would leave Rome-controlled areas in the East to his sons with Cleopatra.
/2

Read 27 tweets

Imperator Cat

@CatImperator

Aug 3

On August 2, 216 BC, the largest Roman army ever assembled gathered near the ancient town of Cannae. Rome was determined to teach the Punic upstart a lesson.

Instead, at Cannae, #Hannibal Barca painted the battlefield red with Roman blood.

A thread🧵

By the early second century BC, Roman expansion in the Western Mediterranean encountered an obstacle - the maritime power of #Carthage. Romans, however, managed not only to build the fleet (in a remarkably short time).

They also defeated Carthage, taking control of the seas. /1

Carthage was defeated and humiliated but not beaten. In fact, the son of one of Carthaginian leading commanders in the First Punic War - Hamilcar Barca - famously swore to enmity for Rome as a child.

Hannibal stayed faithful to his words, and in 218 BC attacked Rome in Spain. /2

Read 25 tweets

Imperator Cat

@CatImperator

Jul 11

He was the Roman emperor who killed his brother. He spent more time in a military camp than in the capital. And he died en route to Persia, where he planned to gain glory for Rome and himself.

He was Caracalla. But not one from #Gladiator2. He was a soldier-emperor.

A thread🧵

Caracalla was one of the two sons of Septimius Severus, a highly competent Roman emperor, who emerged as the winner of the bloody civil war following Commodus’ death

“Caracalla” was a nickname derived from the Gallic hooded tunic that he habitually wore and made fashionable. /1

His nickname also encapsulates Caracalla's character. To bolster the emperor's position, Septimius Severus militarized the imperial dynasty.

Aware of the power of the Roman legions, Severus made it clear that the army was the basis of his power. /2

Read 25 tweets

Imperator Cat

@CatImperator

Jul 8

So you want to be a Roman legionary? A highly disciplined, trained, and organized member of the famed Roman legion. One of the most renowned ancient militaries.

It is an arduous path, carrying many dangers, but also great benefits. So let's enroll, shall we?

A thread🧵

Before joining the legion, the recruit underwent a rigorous, hard-core training. While the Roman legion was a massive unit - comprising around 5,000 men, the legion was as strong as its smallest part - a legionary. /1

Key recruitment roles belonged to military physicians who evaluated the candidates' health and the weapons instructors who taught the recruits to fight. The physicians and the instructors were part of the "immunes," exempt (or immune) from regular duties, and also better paid. /2

Read 23 tweets

Imperator Cat

@CatImperator

Apr 29

If you visit the Venetian Arsenal, you can see an imposing statue of a lion.

The lion, made of white marble, stands some 3 m high. But this statue has a fascinating history and an even more fascinating secret

To start with, The Lion of Piraeus comes from Greece...

A thread 🧵

The ancient Lion of Piraeus, was originally sculpted ca. 360 BC. It was located in the Athens port city of Piraeus, until 1687, when it was brought to Venice.

However, if you look carefully, you can see another layer, giving insight into always wonderful #Byzantine Empire /1

Here is where things start to get interesting. Looking closely, you can see that the lion has scratches on his skin. If you look closer, the scratchings turn out to be runes!

Runes left by the Northmen in the Roman employ, the famed Varnagians, the emperor's bodyguards! /3

Read 8 tweets

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