Stephen Kontostephanos (1130-1148)
Obverse
Inscription of five lines, followed by a cross below. Border of dots.
κον
τοεφα
νουκαιε
φανδεσ
ποτου
Κοντοστεφάνου καὶ Στεφάνου δεσπότου
Obverse
Inscription of five lines, followed by a cross below. Border of dots.
κον
τοεφα
νουκαιε
φανδεσ
ποτου
Κοντοστεφάνου καὶ Στεφάνου δεσπότου
Reverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots. This side appears to have been double struck.
καικυ
ροσεργν
.αισφραγις
.ουλευμα
.ν
καὶ κῦρος ἔργων καὶ σφραγὶς βουλευμάτων
καὶ κῦρος ἔργων [κ]αὶ σφραγὶς [β]ουλευμά[τ]ων
Accession number | BZS.1955.1.3896 |
---|---|
Diameter | 31.0 mm; field: 29.0 mm |
Previous Editions | Oikonomides, Dated Seals, no. 114; Zacos-Veglery, no. 2723. Cf. Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden I, no. 1126a. |
Translation
Κοντοστεφάνου καὶ Στεφάνου δεσπότου καὶ κῦρος ἔργων καὶ σφραγὶς βουλευμάτων.
The security of the acts and the seal of the decisions of the lord Stephanos Kontostephanos.
Bibliography
- A Collection of Dated Byzantine Lead Seals (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
- Ἡ γενεαλογία τῶν Κομνηνῶν (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Stephen Kontostephanos was married to the second daughter (Anna) of the emperor John II Komnenos about the year 1130. He will have received the dignity of panhypersebastos on this occasion, marked in the inscription by the qualification despotes. He was killed during the siege of Kerkyra in 1148. The seal may therefore be dated to the intervening years. See PBW : Stephanos 17003.