Skip to Content

Eirene (797–802)

 
 

Obverse

Half-length representation of Eirene, wearing a crown with double pendilia surmounted by a cross and triangular projections, and a loros. She holds a globus cruciger in her right hand and in her left a cross scepter. Circular inscription beginning at top left. Border of dots.

EIRIHASIL....

Eirinῃ basil[issῃ]

Reverse

Identical with the obverse.

EI............H

Ei[rinῃ basiliss]ῃ

Obverse

Half-length representation of Eirene, wearing a crown with double pendilia surmounted by a cross and triangular projections, and a loros. She holds a globus cruciger in her right hand and in her left a cross scepter. Circular inscription beginning at top left. Border of dots.

EIRIHASIL....

Eirinῃ basil[issῃ]

Reverse

Identical with the obverse.

EI............H

Ei[rinῃ basiliss]ῃ

Accession number BZS.1958.106.504
Diameter 22.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 36.5; Zacos–Veglery, no. 41.

Translation

Eirinῃ basilissῃ.

Eirene, empress.

Commentary

On her gold coins, the empress Eirene is represented wearing a loros and a crown surmounted by a cross, which is framed by two triangular projections (for example, DOC 3.1:1a.1 [pl. 15]). The crown type depicted here is L (on the types, see DOC 3.1: pp. 128 and 130).

This specimen, lacking a channel for suspension, might have been a lead coin or a pattern coin for Eirene's follis (for example, DOC 3.1:2.1 [pl. 15]). It should be noted, however, that the inscription is fuller on the seal (as on her solidi) than on her folles.

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)