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Anonymous (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin orans. Sigla: ̅ – ΘΥ: Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Bust of Saint Theodore Tiron in military costume, holding a lance in his right hand and a shield in his left. Inscription in two columns: |Θ|Ε|Ο|Δ,|Ο|Σ|Ο|ΤΙΡ, : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Θεόδ(ω)ρος ὁ Τίρ(ων).

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin orans. Sigla: ̅ – ΘΥ: Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Bust of Saint Theodore Tiron in military costume, holding a lance in his right hand and a shield in his left. Inscription in two columns: |Θ|Ε|Ο|Δ,|Ο|Σ|Ο|ΤΙΡ, : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Θεόδ(ω)ρος ὁ Τίρ(ων).

Accession number BZS.1958.106.2970
Diameter 23.0 mm; field: 18.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 7, 5.8. 

Commentary

St Theodore, one of the most common saints on seals, is usually shown without an epithet. Of the 747 examples of Theodore’s image found among the published collections, just 15 occur with the epithet Tiron and 26 with that of Stratelates. On seals both epithets begin to appear in the eleventh century. For a discussion of the cult of Theodore and the history of the two epithets, see  Oikonomides, “Le dédoublement,” 327-335; Walter, “Theodore,” 185-189; idem, Warrior Saints, 44-66; Cotsonis, “Contribution,” 448-457; Drpić, “The Serres Icon,” 646-652; and Haldon, A Tale of Two Saints, 1-17. 

For a parallel seal, see Istanbul, no. 10.41

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 7: The Iconographic Seals (Open in Zotero)