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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)
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.

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.

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)