Leontios, notarios, 11th century. Seal (Lead, 25 mm, 11.09 g, 12 h). Θ / Λ/Є-O/N/T/I, Half-length bust of Saint Leontios facing, nimbate, wearing a jeweled chlamys and holding a martyr's cross. Rev. +KЄ R,Θ, / TⲰ CⲰ Δ, / ΛЄⲰNT,/Ⲱ NⲰTA/PIⲰ in five lines. Unpublished in the standard references. A very well-preserved image of an extremely rare Saint. Good very fine.



There are several saints named Leontios, but the iconography of our seal suggests a martyr (indicated by the cross) who was a military man during his lifetime (evidenced by the jeweled chlamys). The most plausible candidate is Saint Leontios of Tripoli, a Roman officer martyred during the reign of Vespasian (69-79) in Tripoli, Phoenicia. According to his hagiography, he encountered trouble with the Roman governor of Phoenicia after converting many people to Christianity. The governor dispatched the tribune Hypatios to arrest him, but after experiencing a miraculous healing, Hypatios, along with his friend Theodoulos, was converted as well. Ultimately, all three men were martyred for their faith and are venerated as saints. Saint Leontios later became the patron saint of Syria.