Constantine Phylax (twelfth century)
Obverse
Bust of the Mother of God orans with a medallion of Christ. At left and right: ̅ΘΥ̅ : Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of four lines preceded by a cross. Border of dots.
ΛΟΓΣ
ΦΥΛΑΤΤ
ΦΥΛΑΚΟΣ
Κ̅Ν̅
Λόγους φυλάττω Φύλακος Κων(σταντίνου)
Obverse
Bust of the Mother of God orans with a medallion of Christ. At left and right: ̅ΘΥ̅ : Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of four lines preceded by a cross. Border of dots.
ΛΟΓΣ
ΦΥΛΑΤΤ
ΦΥΛΑΚΟΣ
Κ̅Ν̅
Λόγους φυλάττω Φύλακος Κων(σταντίνου)
| Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.1367 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 22.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 5 no. 27.5a; Laurent, Corpus 2: no. 671. See also Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden I, no. 1333. |
Translation
Λόγους φυλάττω Φύλακος Κωνσταντίνου.
I protect the words of Constantine Phylax.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 5: The East (continued), Constantinople and Environs, Unknown Locations, Addenda, Uncertain Readings
- Byzantine Lead Seals, vol. 2
- Actes de Lavra, vol. 1, Des origines à 1204
- Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin, vol. 2, L’administration centrale
- Corpus der byzantinischen Siegel mit metrischen Legenden Teil 1: A - M
Commentary
A twelve-syllable metrical seal. It seems unclear whether we are involved with an official who was responsible for a treasury and whose official title was "phylax" or a personal whose family name was Phylax. For seals bearing the title of phylax, see Zacos, Seals II, nos. 474, 756, and 805. The latest datable mention of the treasury is found in a chrysobull of Alexios Komnenos (1086): ἐπὶ τοῦ θείου ἡμῶν ταμείου τοῦ φύλακος (Lavra, 259.51). Our seal seems to be of too late a date to be mentioning the treasury of the Phylax and its supervisor.
W. Seibt, however, in his review of DO Seals 5 (BZ 100 [2007]: 234), suggests that this seal should be redated to the late eleventh or early twelfth century, which would allow "phylax" to be read as an office. But see the commentary to the parallel listed in this entry.