Constantine Doukas Komnenos Palaiologos, despotes (thirteenth/fourteenth century)
Obverse
Constantine Doukas Komnenos Palaiologos, born in the purple, standing full length in royal garb, holding a sceptre with a jewelled top. Border of dots. Epigraphy on either side:
κ|α||τι|οσεσ|ποτη|σπορ|φυρ|ο
γε|ητοσ|κασ|κομη|οσοπα|λαιολο|γοσ :
Κωνσταντῖνος δεσπότης πορφυρογέννητος Δούκας Κομνηνὸς ὁ Παλαιολόγος
Reverse
Inscription of eight lines beginning with a cross. Border of dots.
σφραγισ
οχσ̅καιφυλακτ
ηρκαισκεπηαα
κτοπαιοσεσπο
τουκατι
καιπορφυραθ
σουκαπαλαι
ολογου
σφραγὶς ὁ Χ(ριστὸ)ς καὶ φυλακτὴρ καὶ σκέπη ἀνακτόπαιδος δεσπότου Κωνσταντίνου καὶ πορφυρανθοῦς Δούκα Παλαιολόγου
Obverse
Constantine Doukas Komnenos Palaiologos, born in the purple, standing full length in royal garb, holding a sceptre with a jewelled top. Border of dots. Epigraphy on either side:
κ|α||τι|οσεσ|ποτη|σπορ|φυρ|ο
γε|ητοσ|κασ|κομη|οσοπα|λαιολο|γοσ :
Κωνσταντῖνος δεσπότης πορφυρογέννητος Δούκας Κομνηνὸς ὁ Παλαιολόγος
Reverse
Inscription of eight lines beginning with a cross. Border of dots.
σφραγισ
οχσ̅καιφυλακτ
ηρκαισκεπηαα
κτοπαιοσεσπο
τουκατι
καιπορφυραθ
σουκαπαλαι
ολογου
σφραγὶς ὁ Χ(ριστὸ)ς καὶ φυλακτὴρ καὶ σκέπη ἀνακτόπαιδος δεσπότου Κωνσταντίνου καὶ πορφυρανθοῦς Δούκα Παλαιολόγου
| Accession number | BZS.1948.17.4293 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 39.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | Zacos, 2758b; see also Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden II, no. 2698a. |
Translation
σφραγὶς ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ φυλακτὴρ καὶ σκέπη ἀνακτόπαιδος δεσπότου Κωνσταντίνου καὶ πορφυρανθοῦς Δούκα Παλαιολόγου.
Christ is the seal and the guardian and the protector of the despotes Constantine Doukas Palaiologos, son of the emperor and issue of the royal seed.
Commentary
Zacos pointed to two candidates in identifying the owner of this seal, both sons of emperors born in the purple. The first is Constantine, third son of Michael VIII Palaiologos (1261-1282), born some time around 1260; the second is Constantine, son of Andronikos II (1282-1328), born in 1277 and brought up for the dignity of despotes (according to Pachymeres). For reasons of the depiction of the figure on the seal, Zacos preferred to assign the second candidate as the seal's owner.