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Andronikos II Palaiologos (1282-1328)

 
 

Obverse

Christ standing before a low backless throne (thokos), wearing a tunic and himation. He holds the right hand in blessing and a book in the left. Sigla at left and right: Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)ς. Border of dots.

Reverse

The emperor standing, wearing a crown and a loros, an end of which is draped over the left wrist. He holds a labarum in the right hand and an akakia in the left. The manus Dei is faintly visible in the upper right field. Inscription in two columns. Border of dots.

   Α                     Ο
 ΝΔ                     ΠΑ
ΡΟΝΙ                  ΛΑΙ
ΚΟΣΔ                 ΟΛΟ
  ΕΣΠ                ΓΟΣ
     Ο                 
       Σ

Ἀνδρόνικος δεσπότης ὁ Παλαιολόγος.

Obverse

Christ standing before a low backless throne (thokos), wearing a tunic and himation. He holds the right hand in blessing and a book in the left. Sigla at left and right: Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)ς. Border of dots.

Reverse

The emperor standing, wearing a crown and a loros, an end of which is draped over the left wrist. He holds a labarum in the right hand and an akakia in the left. The manus Dei is faintly visible in the upper right field. Inscription in two columns. Border of dots.

   Α                     Ο
 ΝΔ                     ΠΑ
ΡΟΝΙ                  ΛΑΙ
ΚΟΣΔ                 ΟΛΟ
  ΕΣΠ                ΓΟΣ
     Ο                 
       Σ

Ἀνδρόνικος δεσπότης ὁ Παλαιολόγος.

Accession number BZS.1955.1.4360 (formerly DO 55.1.4360)
Diameter 29.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 106.2.
Zacos-Veglery no. 123c.

Translation

Ἀνδρόνικος δεσπότης ὁ Παλαιολόγος.

Andronikos Palaiologos, despotes.

Commentary

There are no close matches between Andronikos’s coins and his seals, but on Andronikos’s copper trachea the figure of the emperor is depicted in a manner that, despite variations, somewhat resembles his appearance on his seals. See, for example, DOC 5.2:586 (pl. 34), a coin on which Andronikos is shown standing, holding a labarum in the right hand and a globus cruciger in the left; also DOC 5.2:583 (pl. 34). Here the emperor is shown standing and holding in the right hand a cross scepter and in the lefthand an akakia. In the upper right field appears the manus Dei.

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)
  • Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection, Vol. 5, Michael VIII to Constantine XI (1258–1453) (Open in Zotero)