Byzantine column

myminifactory

This column originates from the Church of St Demetrius, located in Thessaloniki. From the early years of the Byzantine Empire, Thessaloniki was regarded as the second city within the Empire after Constantinople, both in terms of wealth and size. With a population exceeding 150,000 by the mid-12th century, the city held this prestigious status until its transfer to Venetian control in 1423. By the 14th century, Thessaloniki's population reached 100,000 to 150,000 residents, surpassing London at that time. During the 6th and 7th centuries, the area surrounding Thessaloniki was invaded by Avars and Slavs, who repeatedly laid siege to the city without success, as documented in the Miracles of Saint Demetrius. Traditional historians claim that many Slavs settled in the hinterland of Thessaloniki; however, modern scholars believe this migration occurred on a much smaller scale than previously assumed. In the 9th century, Byzantine Greek missionaries Cyril and Methodius, both natives of Thessaloniki, developed the first written language for the Slavs, known as the Glagolic alphabet, likely based on the Slavic dialect spoken in their hometown's surrounding area.