Iobane (Georgian form of Johannes), proedros and katepano, 11th century. Seal (Lead, 19 mm, 5.67 g, 12 h). Θ / Δ/H/-M/H/TP, Nimbate facing bust of Saint Demetrios, holding a spear over his right shoulder, and resting a shield on his left arm. Rev. KЄ ROH, / IORAN, ΠP,/ЄΔP, K, KA/TЄΠ’N, T,… in four lines, cross between decorations above. Unpublished in the standard references. An intriguing seal of a Georgian general in Byzantine service. Good very fine.


Iobane is the Georgian form of the name Johannes. Although a secure attribution is not possible, it is tempting to connect our seal with a known Iobane, proedros, a prince from the influential Georgian Liparitid dynasty. He was the son of Liparit IV, a major figure in 11th-century Byzantine-Georgian history. A seal mentioning both his rank of proedros and his patronym appeared in Leu 32 (2024), 3106. Our seal likewise mentions the rank of proedros, but lacks a patronym; a possible family name is off flan. Moreover, the military command of katepano is not otherwise attested for the Georgian prince.

Iobane’s father, Liparit IV, is mentioned in the sources in connection with the Seljuk invasion of Iberia in 1049, led by the half-brother of Sultan Tughril Beg. He came to the aid of Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos, but the Byzantine-Georgian forces were defeated, and Liparit was captured together with his sons, Iobane and Niania. While Iobane was soon released, his father and brother remained in captivity for some time before being freed through the intervention of the Byzantine emperor. In the 1050s, Liparit came into conflict with his main rival, the Georgian king Bagrat IV (1027–1072). Eventually, Liparit lost the support of the Georgian nobles and was forced to surrender his possessions to the king and retire to a monastery. His son Iobane, however, was given a prominent position at Bagrat’s court. Meanwhile, Niania escaped to Byzantine-controlled Ani, and a seal in the Boersema collection attests to his office as katepano of the Byzantine province of Iberia (Wassiliou-Seibt, Sammlung Boersema 52).