Rare Portrait of the Last Byzantine Emperor Discovered in Greece
A unique portrait of Constantine XI Palaiologos, the last Byzantine Emperor, has been uncovered in the Old Monastery of Taxiarches in Aegialia, Greece. The fresco, dating to the mid-15th century, was found during conservation work on the monastery's Katholikon by Dr. Anastasia Koumousi, director of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Achaia, CE Report quotes Athens-Macedonian
The fresco depicts a mature man wearing imperial emblems, including a gold-embroidered purple cloak adorned with two-headed eagles—a hallmark of the Palaiologos dynasty. This is the only known portrait of Constantine XI created during or near his lifetime, as existing depictions were made centuries later.
Dr. Koumousi confirmed the identification, noting that historical and stylistic evidence firmly place the artwork in the final decades of Byzantine rule.
The Old Monastery of Taxiarches, located 15 kilometers south of Aigion, was founded in the late 14th century and supported by Thomas and Dimitrios Palaiologos, rulers of Mystra. The monastic complex includes multiple chapels and high-quality Late Byzantine frescoes, further cementing its significance as a cultural and historical treasure.
