Basileios, parakoimomenos (and doux of Edessa), 1060-1090. Seal (Lead, 27 mm, 14.79 g, 12 h). O [AΓIOC] - R/A/CH/Λ/Є Saint Basil, standing facing, nimbate, raising his right hand in benediction and holding a book of Gospels in his left hand.
Rev. [OMⲰNV/M]Ⲱ CⲰ TⲰ / [Π]APAKOIMЄ/[N]Ⲱ NIKAC KA/[T] ЄXΘPⲰ ΠP[V]/TANЄVCOI[C] / TPICM[AK]/AP in eight lines (“Trice blessed [Saint Basil], may you guide your namesake the parakoimonenos to victory against his enemies”). Cheynet, Zacos Genève 68. A. Wassiliou-Seibt (2023): Basileios Parakoimomenos: Ein dem Philaretos Brachamios nachgeordneter Kommandant und seine Siegel (ca. 1078–1085/1086), in: I. Grimm-Stadelmann, A. Riehle, R. Tocci and M. M. Vučetić, Anekdota Byzantina. Studien zur byzantinischen Geschichte und Kultur. Festschrift für Albrecht Berger anlässlich seines 65. Geburtstags, Berlin & Boston 2023, p. 829-839, fig. 1. Striking weakness
, otherwise, very fine.
From a European collection, formed before 2005.
As Wassiliou-Seibt shows, this seal must belong to the nameless parakoimomenos mentioned by Matthew of Edessa as doux of Edessa for the year 1086, appointed by Philaretos Brachamios before his campaign against the Seljuk sultan, Malik-Shah. The eunuch Basileios was almost immediately murdered by another of Brachamios' officers, who succeeded him as doux. There is another seal type that mentions his dignity of protoproedros (Cheynet, Antioche 161 and Wassiliou-Seibt figs. 2-4).
