Sisinnios, patrikios and strategos, circa 700-750. Seal (Lead, 30 mm, 26.80 g, 11 h). ЄΞЄ[Λ૪ MЄ] KЄ ЄΞ ANΘPOΠ૪ ΠOVNHPOV ("Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man") Large cruciform monogram ΘЄOTOKЄ BOHΘH; in quadrants, TⲰ - CⲰ / Δ૪-ΛⲰ ("Mother of God, help your servant").
Rev. AΠO ANΔP[OC AΔIK૪ S Δ]OΛI૪ PVCЄ MЄ ("Preserve me from the unjust and deceitful man); inside pearled circle, CICI/NNIⲰ ΠA/TPIKIⲰ S / CTPATH/ΓⲰ+ (Sisinnios, patrikios and strategos") in five lines. Glynias, Prayerful Iconoclasts, 14. Zacos/Veglery 3180. An interesting early Byzantine seal with quotations from the Psalms. Some marks and surface roughness
, otherwise, good very fine.
From a European collection, formed before 2005.
The circular legends are quotations from Scripture, namely Psalms 139, 2 and 42, 1. This seal likely belongs to Sisinnios, the first strategos of Thrakesion, who was a relative of Leo III. He was executed in 744 for plotting against the emperor in the aftermath of the revolt of Artavasdus.
