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Anna Dalassene, prote (nun) and kouropalatissa (1067-1081)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin orans with the medallion of Christ before her. Sigla visible: ΘΥ̅ : [Μ(ήτη)ρ] Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription in seven lines. Border of dots.

..ΚΕΟ
..ΕΙΤΗ..
.ΛΗΑΝΝΗ
..ΚΟΥ.Ο.Α
..ΤΙΣΗ..
.ΑΛΑΣ..
.ΝΗ.

[Θ(εοτό)]κε βο[ήθ]ει τῇ [σῇ δ]ούλῃ Ἄννῃ [(πρώ)τ(ῃ)], κου[ρ]ο[π]α[λα]τίσῃ [τῇ Δ]αλασ[σί]νῃ

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin orans with the medallion of Christ before her. Sigla visible: ΘΥ̅ : [Μ(ήτη)ρ] Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription in seven lines. Border of dots.

..ΚΕΟ
..ΕΙΤΗ..
.ΛΗΑΝΝΗ
..ΚΟΥ.Ο.Α
..ΤΙΣΗ..
.ΑΛΑΣ..
.ΝΗ.

[Θ(εοτό)]κε βο[ήθ]ει τῇ [σῇ δ]ούλῃ Ἄννῃ [(πρώ)τ(ῃ)], κου[ρ]ο[π]α[λα]τίσῃ [τῇ Δ]αλασ[σί]νῃ

Accession number BZS.1955.1.4544
Diameter 28.0 mm
Previous Editions

Cf. Zacos-Veglery, no. 2695; and Laurent, Corpus V/2, no. 1460.

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῇ σῇ δούλῃ Ἄννῃ πρώτῃ, κουροπαλατίσῃ τῇ Δαλασσίνῃ.

Mother of God, help your servant Anna Dalassene prote, kouropalatissa.

Commentary

This is the mother of Alexios I Κomnenos (1081-1118). This seal (and the parallels linked to this entry) can be dated to the years between 1067 (when Anna Dalassene's husband, John Komnenos, died, whereupon she retained the title kouropalatissa and became a nun = prote) and 1081, when she became "mother of the emperor," as stated on several seals in the Dumbarton Oaks collection (linked to this entry). On her career and influence, see Eric McGeer, John Nesbitt, Byzantium in the Time of Troubles: The Continuation of the Chronicle of John Skylitzes (1057-1079), 14-17, with further references.

Bibliography