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Intaglio with Saint Theodore Teron Slaying a Many-Headed Dragon

1300 or later
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 303
Theodore Teron (the recruit) was one of several soldier-martyrs whose cults were enormously popular in the later centuries of the Byzantine Empire. This intaglio illustrates Theodore’s miraculous slaying of a dragon. The image reflects the revival of classical culture that took place in Byzantium in the 1300s and 1400s; with its naturalistic stance, it recalls classical depictions of Herakles battling the many-headed hydra.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Intaglio with Saint Theodore Teron Slaying a Many-Headed Dragon
  • Date: 1300 or later
  • Culture: Byzantine
  • Medium: Agate
  • Dimensions: Overall: 1 5/16 x 1 x 1/4in. (3.4 x 2.6 x 0.6cm)
  • Classification: Lapidary Work-Gems
  • Credit Line: Gift of Nanette B. Kelekian, in memory of Charles Dikran and Beatrice Kelekian, 1999
  • Object Number: 1999.325.227
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

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