Alexios III Angelos (1195-1203)
Previous Editions
DO Seals 6 no. 96.1; Zacos–Veglery, no. 110b.
Obverse
St. Constantine standing on a dais, wearing a crown with a cross and a loros. He holds a long cross scepter in the right hand. Visible at right: [Ὁ ἅγιος] Κων[στ]αν[τ]ῖνος. Border of dots.
Reverse
Emperor Alexios III standing, wearing a crown with a cross and a chlamys. He holds a labarum in the right hand. Traces of a circular inscription at left. Linear border.
[Ἀλέξι]ος δ[ε]σπ(ό)τ(ης) [ὁ Κομνηνός].
Commentary:
Unlike prior emperors, who are depicted wearing the traditional loros, Alexios III Komnenos is here shown wearing a chlamys, a garment denoting inferior rank. The loros is reserved to the sainted emperor, who appears on the obverse. The same garments are worn by the two figures on some classes of Alexios III's coins, but one (DOC 4.1:2a3) depicts both Constantine and Alexios wearing a loros.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection, vol. 4, Alexius I to Michael VIII (1081–1261)
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 6: Emperors, Patriarchs of Constantinople, Addenda
- Byzantine Lead Seals, vol. 1
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