Description
Saint Arethas was an Ethiopian soldier who was murdered in 523 because of his Christian faith. He is depicted here in Byzantine court dress, holding a cross as a sign of his martyrdom. The tile is one among three in the Walters Art Museum that have the same size and contain identical busts of male saints: the other two show Saint Basil (inv. 48.2086.17) and Saint Panteleimon (inv. 48.2086.4). This series probably formed a frieze on a church wall or altar screen.
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