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Constantine Kamytzes, sebastos (twelfth century, first half)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God orans, with the medallion of Christ before her. Sigla at left and right: ̣̅ – Θ̅Υ̅—Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

Θ̅Κ̅Ε̅Θ,
ΚΝΝtι
νσε
τκμυ
τζη

Θεότοκε βοήθει Κωνσταντίνῳ σεβαστῷ τῷ Καμύτζῃ

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God orans, with the medallion of Christ before her. Sigla at left and right: ̣̅ – Θ̅Υ̅—Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

Θ̅Κ̅Ε̅Θ,
ΚΝΝtι
νσε
τκμυ
τζη

Θεότοκε βοήθει Κωνσταντίνῳ σεβαστῷ τῷ Καμύτζῃ

Accession number BZS.1958.106.1263
Diameter 34.0 mm; field: 24.0 mm
Previous Editions

Oikonomides, “Usual Lead Seal,” 152, figs. 3i (obv.) and 4i (rev.)

Translation

Θ(εότο)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Κωνσταντίνῳ σεβαστῷ τῷ Καμύτζῃ.

Mother of God, help Constantine Kamytzes, sebastos.

Commentary

The owner of this seal, the sebastos Constantine Kamytzes, is a known person who lived in the first half of the twelfth century, was married to a relative of Emperor John II Komnenos, was entrusted with several military commands, and died before Theodore Prodromos (i.e., probably before 1156–58).

When Constantine held the rank of sebastos, he had at least four boulloteria. As he chose not to mention on his seal the various functions he occupied for limited periods of time, all four boulloteria seem to have been faithful copies of each other; it is certain, however, that they were not molded one from another.

Bibliography