Julianus, patricius, 6th-7th centuries. Seal (Lead, 25 mm, 13.71 g, 12 h). IЧ/LIa/nЧ in three lines, cross above. Rev. +Pa/TRI/CIЧ in three lines. Unpublished in the standard references. A highly interesting Byzantine seal with a Latin legend. Good very fine.



Byzantine bilingual seals (Latin and Greek) are well-attested in the 6th and 7th centuries. Typically, the personal name appears in Latin on one side and in Greek on the other. This seal, belonging to a patricius named Julian, features a Latin inscription on both sides. However, the genitive form is a Latinized version of the Greek rather than standard Latin: Iulianu patriciu instead of the expected Iuliani patricii.