Leontius magister militum Byzacena (sixth century)
Obverse
Inscription of four lines. Border of dots.
ES
AITA
LEON
II
Deus adiuta Leontii
Reverse
Inscription of three lines. No visible border.
MAIS
ROMIL
ZAC
magistro militum Uuzacenae
Accession number | BZS.1947.2.230 |
---|---|
Diameter | 22.0 mm |
Previous Editions | DO Seals 1, no. 6.2. |
Translation
Deus adiuta Leontii magistro militum Uuzacenae.
God, help Leontius magister militum of Byzacena.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 1: Italy, North of the Balkans, North of the Black Sea (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
- Plombs byzantins de la Grèce et du Péleponnèse (Open in Zotero)
- The defence of Byzantine Africa from Justinian to the Arab conquest: an account of the military history and archaeology of the African provinces in the sixth and seventh centuries (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
In the wake of Belisarios' conquest of Africa in 534, Byzacena was placed under the civil administration of a consular governor and under the military control of a doux. Its administrative boundaries corresponded to the Diocletianic province of Valeria Byzacena. In a rescript of 534, Justinian decreed two ducal headquarters: one at Capsa and the other at Thelepte. A third ducal residence was established at Sufetela by the seventh century, if not earlier. The Thracian Himerius, who campaigned against Stotzas in 545, is the first attested doux. Yet one has to note that on their seals the known military governors of Byzacena bear the title of magister militum, and not the (inferior) one of dux mentioned in the Justinianic legislation. Is this a change that came with time? Cf. Pringle, Byzantine Africa, 62 and 63.