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Constans II and Constantine IV (654–659)

 
 

Obverse

The Mother of God, standing. A cross potent at right. Wreath border.

Reverse

Bust of Constans II at left, and a smaller bust of Constantine IV at right. Constans II wears a crown with a cross and a chlamys. Constantine IV wears a crown with a cross. A small cross potent in the upper field, between the two figures. Remains of a circular inscription beginning at left. Wreath border.

.COSAI.CO.......

[D(omini)] n(ostri) Constantin(us) [c(e)] Con[stantin(us)]

Obverse

The Mother of God, standing. A cross potent at right. Wreath border.

Reverse

Bust of Constans II at left, and a smaller bust of Constantine IV at right. Constans II wears a crown with a cross and a chlamys. Constantine IV wears a crown with a cross. A small cross potent in the upper field, between the two figures. Remains of a circular inscription beginning at left. Wreath border.

.COSAI.CO.......

[D(omini)] n(ostri) Constantin(us) [c(e)] Con[stantin(us)]

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.1629
Diameter 29.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 20.2.

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

Translation

Domini nostri Constantinus ce Constantinus.

Our lords Constans and Constantine.

Commentary

Constans II took his son Constantine IV as a colleague on 13 April 654. Consequently seals and coins (for example, DOC 2.2:25h [pl. 24]; MIB 3: Prägetabelle 5, nos. 26–28) bearing depictions of the two rulers are assigned from that date until June of 659, when Constans associated with himself two more sons, Herakleios and Tiberios. As with coins, Constans during this second period of his reign is depicted with a longer beard and mustache.

It is uncertain whether the missing letter between the two names is C or S.

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)
  • Catalogue of the Byzantine Coins in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and in the Whittemore Collection, Vol. 2, Phocas to Theodosius III (602–717) (Open in Zotero)
  • Moneta Imperii Byzantini: Rekonstruktion des Prägeaufbaues auf synoptisch-tabellarischer Grundlage (Open in Zotero)