A IX–XII. szazad soran az europai orosz teruleteken tevekenykedő skandinav fegyveres alakulatok, a varegok, feleskudott testőrkent a korabeli „Kelet” tobb udvaraban is megfordultak. Ezek kozul kiemelkedik konstantinapolyi szolgalatuk, ahol a X. szazadtol kezdve a basileus szemelyes vedelmet lattak el. A Vareg Garda neven elhiresult bizanci katonai alakulat tortenetenek elemzese azt sugallja, hogy a varegok egy egyszerű testőrsegnel joval szerteagazobb feladatkorokkel voltak megbizva. A vizsgalat masik celja – kulturtorteneti szempontbol – bemutatni Konstantinapoly udvartartasanak vareg testőrokre tett hatasait es a bizanci fővaros kituntetett szerepenek okat a skandinav zsoldosok vilagaban. A vareg gardistak eseteben a skandinav asszimilacio egy specialis eseteről beszelhetunk, melyben otvoződtek a hagyomanyos viking beidegződesek a bizanci eletstilussal. | Scandinavian warrior groups labelled as Varangians active in European Russia during the 9–12th centuries were found in diff erent courts of the „East” as sworn bodyguards. The most distinguished place of their service was definitely Constantinople, where possibly from the 10th century, they were responsible for the personal defense of the basileus himself. Examining the history of the notorious Byzantine military formation known as the Varangian Guard, suggests that Varangians had a variety of duties in Byzantium and not acted solely as bodyguards. The second aim of this paper is to demonstrate Constantinople’s cultural infl uence on the Varangians and to illuminate the Byzantine capital’s prominent position in the world of Scandinavian mercenaries. In the case of the Varangians, namely a special identity can be touched upon, which combined traditional Viking mentalities with a Byzantine lifestyle.