Theodoros Komnenos, kouropalates and doux of Paphlagonia, late 11th century. Seal (Lead, 32 mm, 24.86 g, 12 h). O / A/ΓI/OC - Δ/H/MH/TP/I Saint George, standing facing, nimbate, holding spear in his right hand and resting his left on shield. Rev. +KЄ R,Θ, / TⲰ C ΔOV/ΛⲰ ΘЄOΔⲰPⲰ / KOVPOΠAΛATH / S Δ૪KI ΠAΦΛA/ΓONIAC TⲰ KO/MNHNⲰ in seven lines. Jordanov, Corpus II 340. DO Seals IV 11.4 var. (legend breaks). An impressive seal of an enigmatic Byzantine military commander. About extremely fine.


The owner of this seal may have been the well-known aristocrat, Theodoros Dokeianos, who was a Komnenos on his mother's side. He appears in the letters of Psellos, in the Alexiad of Anna Komnene, and, importantly, Bryennios mentions that he owned a house in Paphlagonia (Bryennios 195.8).