Eirene (797–802)
Obverse
Half-length representation of Eirene, wearing a crown with double pendilia surmounted by a cross and triangular projections, and a loros. She holds a globus cruciger in her right hand and in her left a cross scepter. Circular inscription beginning at top left. Border of dots.
EIRIHas......
Eirinῃ bas[ilissῃ].
Reverse
Blank.
Obverse
Half-length representation of Eirene, wearing a crown with double pendilia surmounted by a cross and triangular projections, and a loros. She holds a globus cruciger in her right hand and in her left a cross scepter. Circular inscription beginning at top left. Border of dots.
EIRIHas......
Eirinῃ bas[ilissῃ].
Reverse
Blank.
| Accession number | BZS.1958.106.595 (formerly DO 58.106.595) |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 27.0 mm; field: 19.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 6, no. 36.3; Zacos–Veglery, no. 40a. For a similar specimen see Likhachev, Nekotorye, 531, fig. 66. |
Translation
Eirinῃ basilissῃ.
Eirene, basilissa.
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)
- Nekotorye stareishie tipy pechati vizantijskich imperatorov (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)
Commentary
On her gold coins, the empress Eirene is represented wearing a loros and a crown surmounted by a cross, which is framed by two triangular projections (for example, DOC 3.1:1a.1 [pl. 15]). Depicted here is type L (on the crown types, see DOC 3.1: pp. 128 and 130).