Natural Law and the Struggle for Survival: Animal Metaphors in Byzantine Martial Thought

In recent years, natural history and animal studies have gained remarkable traction among Byzantinists, opening new avenues for interpreting Byzantine scientific, philosophical, artistic, and political thought, among others. At the same time, these approaches have significantly enriched our understanding of how the Byzantines perceived the natural world and its symbolic meanings. However, such perspectives have rarely been applied to the realm of Byzantine military culture. My communication seeks to bridge Byzantine discourses on natural law, animal disposition, morality and warfare. I aim to explore how notions of natural law and the struggle for survival among animals impacted Byzantine tactical thought and war ethics, shaping contemporary debates on warfare.