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Constans II and Constantine IV (654–59)

 
 

Obverse

The Mother of God standing, wearing a chiton and maphorion, and holding Christ before her. A cross potent at left and right.

Reverse

Bust of  Constans II at left. with long beard and mustache, and a smaller bust of Constantine IV beardless at right. Each wears a crown and a chlamys. A small cross in the upper field, between the two figures. Partial remains of an inscription at right. Wreath border.

CONSTA....

[D(omini) n(ostri) Constantinus c(e)] Consta[ntin(us)].

Obverse

The Mother of God standing, wearing a chiton and maphorion, and holding Christ before her. A cross potent at left and right.

Reverse

Bust of  Constans II at left. with long beard and mustache, and a smaller bust of Constantine IV beardless at right. Each wears a crown and a chlamys. A small cross in the upper field, between the two figures. Partial remains of an inscription at right. Wreath border.

CONSTA....

[D(omini) n(ostri) Constantinus c(e)] Consta[ntin(us)].

Accession number BZS.1958.106.514 (formerly DO 58.106.514)
Diameter 26.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 20.3; Zacos–Veglery, no. 17c.

Translation

Domini nostri Constantinus ce Constantinus.

Our lords Constans and Constantine.

Commentary

Constans II took his son Constantine IV as a colleague on 13 April 654. Consequently seals and coins (for example, DOC 2.2:25h [pl. 24]; MIB 3: Prägetabelle 5, nos. 26–28) bearing depictions of the two rulers are assigned from that date until June of 659, when Constans associated with himself two more sons, Herakleios and Tiberios. As with coins, Constans during this second period of his reign is depicted with a longer beard and mustache.

The engraver has used dots to indicate Christ’s hair. The lower portion of the upright bar of the cross flanking the Mother of God at left is stunted. The cross at right is set higher than the one at left.

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. 2, Phocas to Theodosius III (602–717) (Open in Zotero)
  • Moneta Imperii Byzantini: Rekonstruktion des Prägeaufbaues auf synoptisch-tabellarischer Grundlage (Open in Zotero)