Solomonica Magica: Solomon, Sisinnius, and the Holy Rider on Greek-Inscribed Amulets from Late Antiquity and Early Byzantium

Juraj Franek, Ph.D. (1984), is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Classical Studies at the Institute of Philosophy, Czech Academy of Sciences. He is the author of Naturalism and Protectionism in the Study of Religions (Bloomsbury, 2020) and the principal author of Performative Adjuration Formula in Greek and Latin Inscriptions (Narr, 2025).

• AcknowledgmentsAbbreviationsPart 1: Study and Commentary1 Introduction & Status Quaestionis1.1 From the Beginnings to the End of the Belle Époque (1685–1914)1.2 Between the Two World Wars (1914–1945)1.3 After the War (1945–2000)1.4 The New Millennium (2000–2020)2 Protagonists2.1 Solomon, Master of Demons2.2 Saint Sisinnius and the Child-Killing Demon2.3 The Holy Rider: Retrospect and Prospect3 Solomonic Magic in Practice3.1 Magical Recipes and Handbooks3.2 Solomon in Greek Magical Epigraphy3.3 Solomon in Latin Magical Epigraphy3.4 Solomon in Semitic Magical Epigraphy4 Introducing the Corpus: Provenance, Dating, and Context4.1 Archaeological Context and Provenance4.2 Dating4.3 Workshops, Vendors, Wearers, and Religious Identity in Late Antiquity5 Magical Gems5.1 Introduction5.2 Materiality5.3 Aniconic Gems5.4 Holy Rider Prototype5.5 Iconographic Variations and Additions5.6 Textual Variations and Additions5.7 Beyond the Prototype6 Pendants6.1 Introduction6.2 Materiality6.3 Holy Rider Prototype6.4 Biblical Incipits6.5 Iao Sabaoth and the Angels6.6 The Much-Suffering Eye6.7 Thirsty Bird6.8 Animals, Genitals, and Apollonius of Tyana6.9 Crucifixion6.10 Holy Rider Pendants with Less Common Variations6.11 Singular Designs6.12 Whipping the Demon7 Medallions7.1 Introduction7.2 Materiality7.3 Iconography7.4 Inscriptions7.5 Singular Designs with the Rider7.6 Singular Designs without the Rider7.7 South Italian Group7.8 The Embossed Group8 Miscellanea and Middle Byzantine Revival8.1 Rings8.2 Armbands8.3 Pilgrim Tokens, Stamps, Buttons and Amulets in Stone and Bone8.4 Middle Byzantine RevivalPart 2: CorpusSolomonica Magica (SoMa)BibliographyEditionsExhibition and Auction CataloguesStudiesIndex