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Eirene Doukaina (1081–1118)

 
 

Obverse

Half-length representation of Christ bearded, wearing a tunic and himation. He holds the right hand in blessing and a book in the left. He has a nimbus cruciger; each arm contains a decoration consisting of one pellet. Remains of a circular inscription. Sigla visible at right: ΧΣ̅ : [Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς] Χ(ριστό)ς. Border of dots.

....ηθει

[Κ(ύρι)ε βο]ήθει

Reverse

Half-length representation of Eirene wearing a crown with triangular ornaments and three pendilia. She wears a loros and holds a scepter in the right hand and a globus cruciger (only the cross is visible) in the left. On the Vienna specimen one can see that she has an oblong, fleshy face. Remains of a circular inscription, beginning at 7:30. Border of dots.

ειρηνηαυ..............

Εἰρήνῃ αὐ[γούστῃ τῇ Δουκαίνῃ].

Obverse

Half-length representation of Christ bearded, wearing a tunic and himation. He holds the right hand in blessing and a book in the left. He has a nimbus cruciger; each arm contains a decoration consisting of one pellet. Remains of a circular inscription. Sigla visible at right: ΧΣ̅ : [Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς] Χ(ριστό)ς. Border of dots.

....ηθει

[Κ(ύρι)ε βο]ήθει

Reverse

Half-length representation of Eirene wearing a crown with triangular ornaments and three pendilia. She wears a loros and holds a scepter in the right hand and a globus cruciger (only the cross is visible) in the left. On the Vienna specimen one can see that she has an oblong, fleshy face. Remains of a circular inscription, beginning at 7:30. Border of dots.

ειρηνηαυ..............

Εἰρήνῃ αὐ[γούστῃ τῇ Δουκαίνῃ].

Accession number BZS.1955.1.4348
Diameter 24.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6 no. 89.1; Zacos-Veglery, no. 103b. For a parallel specimen, see Seibt, Bleisiegel, no. 28.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει Εἰρήνῃ αὐγούστῃ τῇ Δουκαίνῃ.

Lord help Eirene Doukaina, augusta.

Commentary

Eirene Doukaina was the eldest daughter of Andronikos Doukas. She was born in 1066, married Alexios I Komnenos in 1077, and, following Alexios’s death in 1118, became a nun. She died ca. 1133.

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)
  • Die byzantinischen Bleisiegel in Österreich, Vol. 1, Kaiserhof (Open in Zotero)