Georgios Kakikes (Gagik), patrikios and strategos, 11th century. Seal (Lead, 18 mm, 6.09 g, 12 h). +XЄ RO/HΘ, TⲰ CⲰ / ΔOVΛⲰ / ΓЄⲰP/ΓIⲰ in five lines. Rev. ΠPI S / CTPA/THΓⲰ TⲰ KA/KHKI ("Christ, help your servant Georgios Kakikes, patrikios and strategos") in five lines. Unpublished in the standard references. An interesting seal of an 11th century Byzantine general of Armenian descent. Good very fine.


The seal of Georgios, son of Gagik, was published recently (Wassiliou-Seibt, Sammlung Boersema, 59) and a parallel example was offered in Leu Web Auction 24 (2022), 3669. Our seal has the name Gagik in its Greek form, 'Kakikes', and it apparently appears as a family name. The owner of our seal, therefore, expresses a close familial tie to a well-known Gagik, who may have been his grandfather. The name Gagik, which was used by both Georgians and Armenians, was notably borne by Gagik II, King of Armenia (1042-1045), Gagik of Kars (1029-1064/65), and the Georgian Gagik of Kacheti (1039-1058).