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John II Komnenos (1118–1143)

 
 

Obverse

A bearded Christ seated on a high-back throne, holding a book in the left hand. He has a nimbus cruciger. Sigla at left and right: Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)[ς]. Border of dots.

Reverse

John II standing, wearing a crown and a loros, an end of which is draped over the left wrist. He holds in the right hand (a labarum?) and a globus cruciger in the left. Circular inscription, beginning at 7 o’clock, visible at left. Border of dots.

ΙΩΔ..ΠΟΤΤΩ

Ἰω(άννῃ) δ[εσ]πότ(ῃ) τῷ [πορφυρογεννήτῳ]?

Obverse

A bearded Christ seated on a high-back throne, holding a book in the left hand. He has a nimbus cruciger. Sigla at left and right: Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)[ς]. Border of dots.

Reverse

John II standing, wearing a crown and a loros, an end of which is draped over the left wrist. He holds in the right hand (a labarum?) and a globus cruciger in the left. Circular inscription, beginning at 7 o’clock, visible at left. Border of dots.

ΙΩΔ..ΠΟΤΤΩ

Ἰω(άννῃ) δ[εσ]πότ(ῃ) τῷ [πορφυρογεννήτῳ]?

Accession number BZS.1958.106.485 (formerly DO 58.106.485)
Diameter 33.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 91.2.

Translation

Ἰωάννῃ δεσπότῃ τῷ πορφυρογεννήτῳ

John porphyogennetos, despotes.

Commentary

The use of the dative case is unusual as there is no invocation accompanying the inscription. For coins of John II with a similar dative inscription see DOC 4.1: no. 12a.

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)
  • Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection, Vol. 4, Alexius I to Michael VIII (1081–1261) (Open in Zotero)