To the Iconography of the Saint Warrior Horseman in the Byzantine Sphragistics of the 12th – 13th Centuries. Saint Demetrios of Thessalonika

Research on the iconography of Saint Demetrios of Thessalonika reveals that the depiction of him as a warrior horseman, found on two 12th–13th century seals in the State Hermitage Museum, likely originated from a shared prototype—possibly an honored icon housed in the Basilica of Saint Demetrios. This rare and late formation suggests it may be the final evolution of saint warrior imagery in Byzantine art. The study employed comparative analysis of sphragistics, numismatics, and other monuments to date these seals, confirming their origin during a period when such representations were uncommon. The findings highlight the significance of Thessalonika's cultural and religious heritage within the broader context of Byzantine iconography.

Stepanenko, V. (2020). To the Iconography of the Saint Warrior Horseman in the Byzantine Sphragistics of the 12th – 13th Centuries. Saint Demetrios of Thessalonika. Vestnik Volgogradskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta. Serija 4. Istorija. Regionovedenie. Mezhdunarodnye Otnoshenija, (6), 111–120. https://doi.org/10.15688/jvolsu4.2019.6.9