Horses and Mules for Byzantine Saints: Luxury or Means of Transport?
Did the Byzantines consider that holy fathers should not rather ride horses or mules while travelling? The paper presents an attempt to answer the question in relation to Mid-Byzantine period. Basing on hagiography of the 9th -12th centuries, we can definitely say there was a specific topos of pious behavior connected with rejecting horses and moving on foot. Nevertheless, following this behavioral pattern was not considered obligatory. Hagiographers could easily ignore it, in case it did not fit some of their primary intentions, e.g. the plot structure required the saints fathers to ride. Besides, literary tastes of the writers could also affect the issue. Once some of them wanted to represent the hero’s travel in realistic and detailed manner, riding a horse was described as something quite usual and customary.