Skip to Content

Herakleios and Herakleios Constantine (ca. 616–ca. 625)

 
 

Obverse

The Mother of God standing, wearing a chiton and maphorion, and holding Christ before her. Her left leg seems to be bent at the knee. A cross at left and right. Wreath border.

Reverse

Bust of Herakleios at left, and smaller bust of Herakleios Constantine at right. Each wears a crown with a cross and a chlamys. Herakleios is shown with a beard of medium length and Herakleios Constantine is beardless. Herakleios wears his hair long and curled. Between the two figures is a cross. A circular inscription beginning at left. Wreath border.

NNERACLISEERA..........

D(omini) n(ostri) Heraclius et Hera(clius) [Const(antinus) p(er)p(etui) aug(usti)].

Obverse

The Mother of God standing, wearing a chiton and maphorion, and holding Christ before her. Her left leg seems to be bent at the knee. A cross at left and right. Wreath border.

Reverse

Bust of Herakleios at left, and smaller bust of Herakleios Constantine at right. Each wears a crown with a cross and a chlamys. Herakleios is shown with a beard of medium length and Herakleios Constantine is beardless. Herakleios wears his hair long and curled. Between the two figures is a cross. A circular inscription beginning at left. Wreath border.

NNERACLISEERA..........

D(omini) n(ostri) Heraclius et Hera(clius) [Const(antinus) p(er)p(etui) aug(usti)].

Accession number BZS.1958.106.554 (formerly DO 58.106.554)
Diameter 27.0 mm; field: 23.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 14.14.

Translation

Domini nostri Heraclius et Heraclius Constantinus perpetui augusti.

Our lords Herakleios and Herakleios Constantine, eternal augusti.

Commentary

On the seals dated ca. 616–ca. 625, Herakleios has a longer beard and Herakleios Constantine’s bust is now somewhat larger than on earlier specimens.  Dating follows the numismatic evidence.

Seibt (Bleisiegel, 69) has employed the following criteria for classifying and dating seals, from ca. 616–ca. 625, with representations of Herakleios and Herakleios Constantine.  (1) ca. 616–ca. 625: the imperial hair style changes, as the ends now curl outward; the Virgin’s right foot supports her weight. (2) ca. 620–25: Herakleios’s beard is longer and thicker.

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)
  • Die byzantinischen Bleisiegel in Österreich, Vol. 1, Kaiserhof (Open in Zotero)