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Michael Komnenos, sebastos (twelfth century, second half)

 
 

Obverse

St. Michael standing on a dais holding a scepter in his right hand and a globus cruciger in his left. On either side, faint traces of epigraphy: Ο|α|.χ|αγ|..|.,μ|ι|χ|α.|λ : ὁ ἀ[ρ]χάγ[γελο(ς)] Μιχα[ή]λ. Indeterminate border.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines, a decoration above. Indeterminate border.

  
σκεποισ
μιτγμτ̣.
ρχηγετγε..
κοονκι
Σ̣εον
Ξ̣Ι̣̣

σκέποις Μιχ(αήλ), ταγμάτω[ν] ἀρχηγέτα, γέ[νει] Κομνηνὸν καὶ σεβαστὸν ἀξίᾳ

Obverse

St. Michael standing on a dais holding a scepter in his right hand and a globus cruciger in his left. On either side, faint traces of epigraphy: Ο|α|.χ|αγ|..|.,μ|ι|χ|α.|λ : ὁ ἀ[ρ]χάγ[γελο(ς)] Μιχα[ή]λ. Indeterminate border.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines, a decoration above. Indeterminate border.

  
σκεποισ
μιτγμτ̣.
ρχηγετγε..
κοονκι
Σ̣εον
Ξ̣Ι̣̣

σκέποις Μιχ(αήλ), ταγμάτω[ν] ἀρχηγέτα, γέ[νει] Κομνηνὸν καὶ σεβαστὸν ἀξίᾳ

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.2914
Diameter 29.0 mm; field: 27.0 mm
Previous Editions

Cf. Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden II, no. 2126.

Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore.

Translation

σκέποις Μιχαήλ, ταγμάτων ἀρχηγέτα, γένει Κομνηνὸν καὶ σεβαστὸν ἀξίᾳ.

Commander of the hosts, may you watch over Michael, a Komnenos by descent and a sebastos by rank.

Commentary

The Christian name Michael does not appear among the Komnenoi but was favored by the Angelos family. It may well be that the Michael of this seal is claiming descent from the Komnenoi on the maternal side as the result of the marriage between Theodora Komnene and Constantine Angelos in 1122. 

Bibliography

  • Corpus der byzantinischen Siegel mit metrischen Legenden, Vol. 2, Siegellegenden von Ny bis inklusive Sphragis (Open in Zotero)
  • Ἡ γενεαλογία τῶν Κομνηνῶν (Open in Zotero)