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Constantine VI (790–92)

 
 

Obverse

Half-length representation of Constantine VI, beardless, wearing crown with a cross and a chlamys pinned together with a fibula on his right shoulder. He holds in his right hand a globus cruciger and in his left an akakia. Circular inscription. Wreath border.

COSAIOSASΘ

Constantinos bas(ileus) Θ.

Reverse

Cross potent on four steps. Wreath border. No inscription.

Obverse

Half-length representation of Constantine VI, beardless, wearing crown with a cross and a chlamys pinned together with a fibula on his right shoulder. He holds in his right hand a globus cruciger and in his left an akakia. Circular inscription. Wreath border.

COSAIOSASΘ

Constantinos bas(ileus) Θ.

Reverse

Cross potent on four steps. Wreath border. No inscription.

Accession number BZS.1958.106.561 (formerly DO 58.106.561)
Diameter 25.0 mm; field: 21.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 35.1; Zacos–Veglery, no. 39.

Translation

Constantinos basileus.

Constantine, basileus.

Commentary

Constantine VI regularly appeared on his coins with his mother, Eirene. As there is no mention of the empress Eirene on this seal, suggesting that it was struck between October of 790, when Constantine confined her to quarters in the palace, and her recall in January of 792. Coins dated to the same period by Grierson do not depict Constantine alone, as with this seal, but instead have on their obverse the busts of Constantine at left and Eirene at right. Whereas before October of 790 Eirene, like Constantine, held a globus cruciger in her left hand, during the period of her confinement her globus cruciger disappeared from the coinage (DOC 3.1:2a.1 [pl. 13], and p. 336).

Zacos and Veglery state that this seal does not appear to have a channel, but this is incorrect.

The same inscription that appears on this seal, Constantinos bas(ileus) Θ, is found on a uniface seal published in Seyrig, no. 5, as well as one of Constantine's solidi (DOC 3.1:3a.3 [p. 14]). The legend on this seal copies the whole of the inscription appearing on the coin, including the control mark Θ (concerning control marks, see DOC 3.1: pp. 77–80).

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)
  • Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection, Vol. 3, Leo III to Nicephorus III (717–1081) (Open in Zotero)
  • Les sceaux byzantins de la Collection Henri Seyrig (Open in Zotero)