David Komnenos (before 1214)
Obverse
Badly effaced image of King David, holding a trefoil sceptre in his right hand and an akakia (or scroll) in his left. No lettering visible.
Obverse
Badly effaced image of King David, holding a trefoil sceptre in his right hand and an akakia (or scroll) in his left. No lettering visible.
Reverse
An inscription of six lines, a cross above and a decoration below. Line border. The surface has been gouged to give the appearance of a channel.
̅̅̅σ..ευ
σφλε..ρ
φνκυροσ
̅̅̅κομνηνου
σιλεγγο
νουγιν
Δα(βὶ)δ βασ[ιλ]ε[ῦ] ἀσφαλὲ[ς γ]ραφῶν κύρος Δα(βὶ)δ Κομνηνοῦ βασιλεγγόνου γίνου
Accession number | BZS.1947.2.371 |
---|---|
Diameter | 45.0 mm; field: 38.0 mm |
Previous Editions |
Translation
Δαβὶδ βασιλεῦ ἀσφαλής γραφῶν κύρος Δαβὶδ Κομνηνοῦ βασιλεγγόνου γίνου.
King David, be the secure guarantor of the documents of the grandson of an emperor, David Komnenos.
Bibliography
- Les bulles métriques dans la sigillographie byzantine (Open in Zotero)
- Corpus der byzantinischen Siegel mit metrischen Legenden, Vol. 1, Siegellegenden von Alpha bis inclusive My (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
This specimen, weighing over 60 grams, appears to be a metallic copy of seals struck by David Komnenos, grandson of Andronikos I (1183-1185). There is no channel. The workmanship is very poor, and the inscription on the reverse contains two egregious and one minor error. Also worthy of note on this specimen is the use of the epithet "basileggonou" ("grandson of the emperor"), as opposed to "basilekgonou" ("descendant of the emperor") found on other seals attributed to David Komnenos.