Constans II (647–51)
Obverse
The Mother of God standing, wearing a chiton and maphorion, and holding Christ before her. Her left leg is bent at the knee. A cross potent at left and right. Incuse border.
Reverse
Constans II standing, with a long beard and mustache. He wears a crown with a cross and a chlamys, and holds a globus cruciger in his right hand. His hair is worn long at the sides and curls outward. The figure is identified by a circular inscription beginning at left, but the only certain lettering is to be found at right. Wreath border.
..........INSPPAVG
[D(ominus) n(oster) Constant]inus p(er)p(etuus) aug(ustus).
Obverse
The Mother of God standing, wearing a chiton and maphorion, and holding Christ before her. Her left leg is bent at the knee. A cross potent at left and right. Incuse border.
Reverse
Constans II standing, with a long beard and mustache. He wears a crown with a cross and a chlamys, and holds a globus cruciger in his right hand. His hair is worn long at the sides and curls outward. The figure is identified by a circular inscription beginning at left, but the only certain lettering is to be found at right. Wreath border.
..........INSPPAVG
[D(ominus) n(oster) Constant]inus p(er)p(etuus) aug(ustus).
Accession number | BZS.1958.106.541 (formerly DO 58.106.541) |
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Diameter | 25.0 mm |
Previous Editions | DO Seals 6, no. 19.5; Zacos–Veglery, no. 15c. |
Translation
Dominus noster Constantinus perpetuus augustus.
Our lord Constans, eternal augustus.
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)
Commentary
On gold coins struck between 647 and 651 the emperor Constans II is represented with a short beard (for example, DOC 2.2:15c [pl. 24]; MIB 3: Prägetabelle 5, nos. 9–22).
Zacos and Veglery note that the longer length of the emperor’s beard would seem to indicate that the seal dates near 651.