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Theophilos (ca. 838–40)

 
 

Obverse

Largely destroyed, but one may reasonably assert that the center was decorated with a cross potent on steps, since one can still discern at the termination of the central crossbar at right. Traces of a circular inscription at right. No visible border.

. . . VVSA. . .

[En onom(ati) tu patr(os) (καὶ)] tu y(io)u (καὶ) tu a[g(iu) pne(umatos)]?

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

Θ....
LOSE.ΘE
PISOS
SILESR.
AIO

Θ[eofi]los e[c] Θe(o)u pistos basileus R[o]maion.

Obverse

Largely destroyed, but one may reasonably assert that the center was decorated with a cross potent on steps, since one can still discern at the termination of the central crossbar at right. Traces of a circular inscription at right. No visible border.

. . . VVSA. . .

[En onom(ati) tu patr(os) (καὶ)] tu y(io)u (καὶ) tu a[g(iu) pne(umatos)]?

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

Θ....
LOSE.ΘE
PISOS
SILESR.
AIO

Θ[eofi]los e[c] Θe(o)u pistos basileus R[o]maion.

Accession number BZS.1955.1.4282 (formerly DO 55.1.4282)
Diameter 32.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 46.1; Zacos–Veglery, no. 53.

Translation

En onomati tu patros καὶ tu yiou καὶ tu agiu pneumatos Θeofilos ec Θeou pistos basileus Romaion.

Theophilos, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, by grace of God, faithful basileus of the Romans.

Commentary

Theophilos issued aniconic miliaresia (class 4), dated by Grierson to ca. 838–40, that bear on the obverse the same wording and spacing as the legend that appears on the reverse of this seal (DOC 3.1:11.1 [pl. 23]).

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)