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Romanos I, Christopher, and Constantine VII (922/24–931)

 
 

Obverse

Half-length representation of Christ, bearded, wearing a tunic and himation; a cross behind him. He raises his right hand in blessing and holds a book in his left. Along the circumference, a circular inscription beginning with a cross at eight o'clock. Border of dots.

ISSXRISS

Iηsus Xristus

Reverse

Three half-length figures: in center, Romanos I, bearded, wearing a jeweled crown surmounted by a cross and a loros; at left, a smaller portrait of his son Christopher, wearing a crown surmounted by a cross and a chlamys. At right, Constantine VII, an image smaller than Christopher's, wearing a crown surmounted by a cross and a chlamys. Along the circumference, a circular inscription beginning at eight o'clock. Border of dots.

ROAˊXRISOF..COSˊ

Roman(os), Xristof(oros) [ce] Const(antinos)

Obverse

Half-length representation of Christ, bearded, wearing a tunic and himation; a cross behind him. He raises his right hand in blessing and holds a book in his left. Along the circumference, a circular inscription beginning with a cross at eight o'clock. Border of dots.

ISSXRISS

Iηsus Xristus

Reverse

Three half-length figures: in center, Romanos I, bearded, wearing a jeweled crown surmounted by a cross and a loros; at left, a smaller portrait of his son Christopher, wearing a crown surmounted by a cross and a chlamys. At right, Constantine VII, an image smaller than Christopher's, wearing a crown surmounted by a cross and a chlamys. Along the circumference, a circular inscription beginning at eight o'clock. Border of dots.

ROAˊXRISOF..COSˊ

Roman(os), Xristof(oros) [ce] Const(antinos)

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.21
Diameter 29.0 mm; field: 22.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 59.3; Zacos–Veglery, no. 66c (incorrectly identified as Fogg 104).

Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore.

Translation

Iηsus Xristus. Romanos, Xristoforos ce Constantinos.

Jesus Christ. Romanos, Christopher, and Constantine.

Commentary

Romanos I’s son, Christopher, was crowned augustus by Constantine VII on 20 May 921 and died in 931. The dating is based upon a novel promulgated in April of 922 in the names of Romanos, Constantine, and Christopher. Grierson has assigned gold coins depicting the three emperors together to the period around the year 930 (DOC 3.2:8.1 [pl. 36]; BNC 2: p. 562).

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)
  • Catalogue des monnaies byzantines de la Bibliothèque nationale (Open in Zotero)