# Tablion

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Clothing accessory of high dignitaries in ancient times and the Byzantine Empire

Emperor [Justinian I](/source/Justinian_I) and his court, showing the golden *tablion* of the emperor and the purple *tablion* of the senior courtiers.[1] Mosaic from the [Basilica of San Vitale](/source/Basilica_of_San_Vitale), [Ravenna](/source/Ravenna).

The ***tablion*** ([Greek](/source/Greek_language): ταβλίον) was a rectangular or trapezoidal panel embroidered on the ceremonial mantle (*[chlamys](/source/Chlamys)*) of courtiers during the [Byzantine Empire](/source/Byzantine_Empire).[2]

The *tablia* were chosen to contrast with the mantle colour, and sewn pairwise on the front edges of the mantle. They could be further decorated with embroidered designs or images of the emperor.[1][2] The emperor's mantle originally (in the 4th century) featured *tablia* sewn almost at the bottom of the mantle, below the knees, but from the 6th century they were moved to the centre of the mantle opening.[2] As the *chlamys* was the chief civilian court dress, the *tablion* was a part of male court costume,[1] and had to be purchased by the office-holders (for example, a *[patrikios](/source/Patrikios)* paid 24 gold *[solidi](/source/Solidus_(coin))* in the 9th century).[2] The only women allowed to wear a *chlamys* and *tablion* were the [empresses](/source/Byzantine_empress).[1][2] In the middle Byzantine period, the *chlamys* is much more richly decorated, but is sometimes depicted without *tablia*. The exact significance of this is unclear, although it has been suggested that it might denote lower court ranks.[3]

In art, the *chlamys* is usually depicted with the right half thrown behind the shoulder, so that only the left-hand *tablion* is visible.[1][2] Although normally a symbol of civilian dress, [military saints](/source/Military_saints) are often depicted wearing a *chlamys* with *tablia*.[2]

In the *[Kletorologion](/source/Kletorologion)* of 899, the term *tablion* is also used for a box for the emperor's personal garments, carried by his servants during processions.[2]

## See also

- [Mandarin square](/source/Mandarin_square)

- [Tiraz](/source/Tiraz)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEParani200312_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEParani200312_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEParani200312_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEParani200312_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEParani200312_1-4) [Parani 2003](#CITEREFParani2003), p. 12.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEŠevčenko19912004_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEŠevčenko19912004_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEŠevčenko19912004_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEŠevčenko19912004_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEŠevčenko19912004_2-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEŠevčenko19912004_2-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEŠevčenko19912004_2-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEŠevčenko19912004_2-7) [Ševčenko 1991](#CITEREFŠevčenko1991), p. 2004.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEParani200353_3-0)** [Parani 2003](#CITEREFParani2003), p. 53.

## Sources

- Parani, Maria G. (2003). [*Reconstructing the Reality of Images: Byzantine Material Culture and Religious Iconography (11th to 15th Centuries)*](https://books.google.com/books?id=r9gfY--ZVYgC). Leiden, South Holland: Brill. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-90-04-12462-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-90-04-12462-2).

- Ševčenko, Nancy Patterson (1991). "Tablion". In [Kazhdan, Alexander](/source/Alexander_Kazhdan) (ed.). *[The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium](/source/Oxford_Dictionary_of_Byzantium)*. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. p. 2004. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-19-504652-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-504652-8).

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