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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: ̅-Θ̅Υ: Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.


ΘΚ̅εΘ,
ΚΝ..Νtι
νσε
τκμυ
τζη

Θ(εότο)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Κων[στα]ντίνῳ σεβαστῷ τῷ Καμύτζῃ

Obverse

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

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.


ΘΚ̅εΘ,
ΚΝ..Νtι
νσε
τκμυ
τζη

Θ(εότο)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Κων[στα]ντίνῳ σεβαστῷ τῷ Καμύτζῃ

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.500
Diameter 27.0 mm; field: 24.0 mm
Previous Editions

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

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

Translation

Θεότοκε βοήθει 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 (probably before 1156–58). See PBW : Konstantinos 20111.

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