John II Komnenos (1118–1143)
Obverse
A bearded Christ seated on a high-back throne, wearing a tunic and himation. He holds the right hand in blessing and a book in the left. His feet rest on a dais. He has a nimbus cruciger; each arm contains a decoration consisting of one pellet. 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 (only partially imprinted) and a globus cruciger in the left. Circular inscription, beginning at 7 o’clock. Border of dots.
ιωδεσποττωπορφυρογε.....
Ἰω(άννῃ) δεσπότ(ῃ) τῷ πορφυρογε[ννήτῳ].
Obverse
A bearded Christ seated on a high-back throne, wearing a tunic and himation. He holds the right hand in blessing and a book in the left. His feet rest on a dais. He has a nimbus cruciger; each arm contains a decoration consisting of one pellet. 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 (only partially imprinted) and a globus cruciger in the left. Circular inscription, beginning at 7 o’clock. Border of dots.
ιωδεσποττωπορφυρογε.....
Ἰω(άννῃ) δεσπότ(ῃ) τῷ πορφυρογε[ννήτῳ].
| Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.1694 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 32.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 6, no. 91.4. |
| Credit Line | Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore. |
Translation
Ἰωάννῃ δεσπότῃ τῷ πορφυρογεννήτῳ.
John porphyrogennetos, despotes.
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)
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.