Constans II (647–51)
Obverse
The Mother of God standing, wearing a chiton and maphorion, and holding Christ before her. Her left leg seems to be bent at the knee. A cross potent at left and right. Wreath border.
Reverse
The emperor Constans II standing, with a short beard and long hair at the sides curling outward. He wears a crown with a cross and a chlamys, and holds a globus cruciger in his right hand. A circular inscription beginning at left. Wreath border.
NCONSANI..SPPAV
D(ominus) n(oster) Constanti[nu]s p(er)p(etuus) au[g(ustus)].
Obverse
The Mother of God standing, wearing a chiton and maphorion, and holding Christ before her. Her left leg seems to be bent at the knee. A cross potent at left and right. Wreath border.
Reverse
The emperor Constans II standing, with a short beard and long hair at the sides curling outward. He wears a crown with a cross and a chlamys, and holds a globus cruciger in his right hand. A circular inscription beginning at left. Wreath border.
NCONSANI..SPPAV
D(ominus) n(oster) Constanti[nu]s p(er)p(etuus) au[g(ustus)].
Accession number | BZS.1955.1.4262 (formerly DO 55.1.4262) |
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Diameter | 25.0 mm |
Previous Editions | DO Seals 6, no. 19.1; Zacos–Veglery, no. 15b. For a similar seal see Seibt, Bleisiegel, no. 13. |
Translation
Dominus noster Constantinus perpetuus augustus.
Our lord Constans, eternal augustus.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 6, Emperors, Patriarchs of Constantinople, Addenda (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
- Die byzantinischen Bleisiegel in Österreich, Vol. 1, Kaiserhof (Open in Zotero)
- Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection, Vol. 2, Phocas to Theodosius III (602–717) (Open in Zotero)
- Moneta Imperii Byzantini: Rekonstruktion des Prägeaufbaues auf synoptisch-tabellarischer Grundlage (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
On gold coins struck between 647 and 651 the emperor Constans II is represented with a short beard (for example, DOC 2.2:15c [pl. 24]; MIB 3: Prägetabelle 5, nos. 9–22).
On this seal, the lettering of the identifying legend on the reverse is the same as on gold coins.