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Alexios III Angelos (1195–1203)

 
 

Obverse

St. Constantine standing, wearing a crown and a loros, an end of which is draped over his left arm. He holds a long cross scepter in his right hand and an akakia in his left. Inscription in two columns: Ὁ ἅ(γιος) Κωνσταντῖνος. Border of dots.

Reverse

Alexios III standing, wearing a crown and loros, an end of which is draped over his right and left wrists. He holds a labarum in his right hand and an akakia in his left. In the upper right field, the manus Dei. Circular inscription visible at left. Border of dots.

ΑΛΕΞΙΟΣ . .

Ἀλέξιος . . .

Obverse

St. Constantine standing, wearing a crown and a loros, an end of which is draped over his left arm. He holds a long cross scepter in his right hand and an akakia in his left. Inscription in two columns: Ὁ ἅ(γιος) Κωνσταντῖνος. Border of dots.

Reverse

Alexios III standing, wearing a crown and loros, an end of which is draped over his right and left wrists. He holds a labarum in his right hand and an akakia in his left. In the upper right field, the manus Dei. Circular inscription visible at left. Border of dots.

ΑΛΕΞΙΟΣ . .

Ἀλέξιος . . .

Accession number BZS.1958.106.609 (formerly DO 58.106.609)
Diameter 43.0 mm; field: 37.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 96.2; Zacos–Veglery, no. 110a.

Translation

Ἀλέξιος . . .

Alexios [Komnenos, despotes.]

Commentary

In the columnar inscription on the obverse, the omega and nu are in ligature. Zacos and Veglery maintain that the manus Dei appears at the upper right on the reverse. While admitting the possibility, we note that the heads of St. Constantine and the emperor appear to be imprinted twice, suggesting that the dies moved in the process of striking the seal blank

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)