Konstantinos Strategopoulos Komnenos, 13th century. Seal (Lead, 36 mm, 37.00 g, 12 h). CΦPAΓIC / KVPOVCA / TAC ΓPAΦAC / KⲰNCTAN/TINOV ("Seal authorizing the writings of Konstantinos") in five lines, cross above. Rev. CTPATHΓO/ΠOVΛ૪ TⲰN KOMNHNⲰN / ЄK ΓЄN૪C ("Strategopoulos, from the family of the Komnenoi") in four lines, cross above. Unpublished in the standard references. A very impressive and well-preserved late Byzantine seal. Some deposits, otherwise, good very fine.


Our seal may be attributed to Konstantinos Strategopoulos Komnenos, who was accused of contempt for Theodoros II Laskaris, emperor of Nicaea, and blinded for this offence (PLdP 26897). He was also the son of the well-known aristocrat and general Alexios Strategopoulos Komnenos, who led the Byzantine reconquest of Constantinopolis from the Latin emperors. Alexios' seal was published by Zacos/Veglery, 2756. It has an identical verse as ours, except for the personal name, divided over both sides