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Alexios I Komnenos (1081–1118)

 
 

Obverse

Christ seated on a high-back throne, wearing a tunic and himation and holding the right hand in blessing and a book in the left. Instead of the usual oblong face, Christ’s visage is here more like a full moon. The decoration on the back portion of the throne consists of seven pellets at left and right. His feet rest on a dais. He has a nimbus cruciger. Sigla visible at left: ισ̅ : Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς. Border of dots.

Reverse

The emperor Alexios I standing on a dais, wearing a crown and a loros, an end of which is draped over the left wrist and is decorated with four pellets. He holds a globus cruciger in the left hand. Remains of a circular inscription at right. Border of dots.

............ττωκομνηνω

[Ἀλεξίῳ δεσπό]τ() τῷ Κομνηνῶ.

Obverse

Christ seated on a high-back throne, wearing a tunic and himation and holding the right hand in blessing and a book in the left. Instead of the usual oblong face, Christ’s visage is here more like a full moon. The decoration on the back portion of the throne consists of seven pellets at left and right. His feet rest on a dais. He has a nimbus cruciger. Sigla visible at left: ισ̅ : Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς. Border of dots.

Reverse

The emperor Alexios I standing on a dais, wearing a crown and a loros, an end of which is draped over the left wrist and is decorated with four pellets. He holds a globus cruciger in the left hand. Remains of a circular inscription at right. Border of dots.

............ττωκομνηνω

[Ἀλεξίῳ δεσπό]τ() τῷ Κομνηνῶ.

Accession number BZS.1958.106.491
Diameter 30.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 88.12.

Translation

Ἀλεξίῳ δεσπότ τῷ Κομνηνῶ.

Alexios Komnenos, despotes.

Commentary

The number of pellets set in a vertical line along the left and right sides of the throne’s back varies. Here the number is seven, as on BZS.1955.1.4338. On, for example, BZS.1958.106.612 and BZS.1958.106.613 the number is six.

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)