Michael Maurex, kouropalates and doux of Antioch, circa 1070-1080. Seal (Lead, 31 mm, 15.31 g, 12 h). Nimbate facing bust of Saint George, holding spear over his right shoulder and shield on his left arm .
Rev. +KЄ R,HΘ, / [MIX]AHΛ KO...ΠAΛAT S...ANTIOX...TⲰ MA[V]PIKI in six lines. Unpublished in the standard references. Cf. BBÖ I, p. 170, note 18 (metric legend, kouropalates and doux of Antioch, Campagnolo/Cheynet, Zacos Genève 93 (same iconography, proedros and doux) and Leu Numismatik Web Auction 26 (2023), 5895 (same iconography, proedros and doux of Antioch). An interesting new seal type of a major Byzantine general and admiral. Rough surfaces
, otherwise, about very fine.
From an important collection of Roman and Byzantine seals, tesserae and amulets, formed before 2021.
Michael Maurex was an important military commander in the second half of the 11th century. He began his career around 1050 as ostiarios of the imperial court, indicating that he was a eunuch, and advanced through various key military commands. His seals document his roles as strategos of Chios, katepano of Dyrrhachium, and doux of Boukellarion and Antioch. The latter command is confirmed on a seal with a metric legend in the Hermitage (quoted in BBÖ I, p. 170, note 18), where he is titled kouropalates, his highest court rank. Our seal provides further evidence of this court dignity, featuring an icon of St. George on the obverse. This saint also appears on another of his seals, which records him as proedros and doux, from the Zacos collection, now in Geneva.
The identification of Michael Maurex, the general known from the seals, with the admiral and magnate Maurex mentioned in the narrative sources is highly probable. This admiral is known for a successful naval campaign against Norman forces in Italy in the 1060s and, later, in 1085, for blocking reinforcements to Robert Guiscard's army by collaborating with the Venetian fleet to blockade the straits between Italy and Epirus. Werner Seibt argues that they are the same person and that Michael Maurex served as a naval commander in Italy during his time as katepano of Dyrrhachium. Cheynet also concurs, asserting that the admiral and the general are 'without doubt' the same Maurex.
