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

 
 

Obverse

The Mother of God standing, wearing a maphorion and chiton, and holding Christ before her. Her left leg is bent at the knee. A small cross potent at shoulder level at left and right. No visible border.

Reverse

Bust of Herakleios at left, and a smaller bust of Herakleios Constantine at right. Each wears a crown with a cross and a chlamys fastened on the right shoulder with a fibula. Herakleios is shown with a beard of medium length and Herakleios Constantine is beardless. Herakleios’s hairstyle is unclear. A small cross in the field above. A circular inscription beginning at left. Wreath border.

.............ETERACONS.....

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

Obverse

The Mother of God standing, wearing a maphorion and chiton, and holding Christ before her. Her left leg is bent at the knee. A small cross potent at shoulder level at left and right. No visible border.

Reverse

Bust of Herakleios at left, and a smaller bust of Herakleios Constantine at right. Each wears a crown with a cross and a chlamys fastened on the right shoulder with a fibula. Herakleios is shown with a beard of medium length and Herakleios Constantine is beardless. Herakleios’s hairstyle is unclear. A small cross in the field above. A circular inscription beginning at left. Wreath border.

.............ETERACONS.....

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

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.1625
Diameter 24.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 14.9.

Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore.

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. 620–625: 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)