Tzangion

{{Short description|Type of boot or sandal in the Middle Ages}}

File:The mosaic of Emperor Justinian and his retinue, Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy - 24346194696.jpg

The tzangion ({{langx|grc|τζαγγίον}}, {{IPA|el|tsaŋˈgion|pron}}), plural tzangia ({{lang|grc|τζαγγία}}) was a type of boot or sandal, which in the Middle Ages became an important part of the Byzantine Emperors' regalia.

In the 4th century, the {{transl|grc|tzange}} was a type of elegant shoe, but its use as an imperial vestment in Byzantium only began later, and was influenced by eastern, most likely, Persian, usage.{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=2135}} Thus the first occurrence of the {{transl|grc|tzangia}} as a sign of royal power is in John Malalas' description of the coronation of Tzath I as king of Lazica under Justin I, where Tzath was dressed in Roman imperial garb, but wore {{transl|grc|tzangia}}, decorated with pearls "in the Persian manner", rather than the Roman emperor's {{transl|grc|kothornoi}}.{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=2135}} By the 9th century, the wearing of red {{transl|grc|tzangia}} had become firmly associated with the imperial office, so much so that rebels putting them on signified their usurpation of the imperial title.{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=2135}} In the mid-14th century, Pseudo-Kodinos reports that the {{transl|grc|tzangia}} were tall boots decorated with eagles out of pearls and precious stones.{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=2135}}

The term is the root for the Greek term for shoemaker, {{transl|el|tsangaris}} ({{lang|el|τσαγκάρης}}), via {{transl|grc|tzangarios}} ({{lang|grc|τζαγγάριος}}), although a maker of imperial {{transl|grc|tzangia}} was called {{transl|grc|tzangas}} ({{lang|grc|τζαγγάς}}).{{sfn|Kazhdan|1991|p=2135}}