Theophylaktos, imperial protospatharios, judge and anagrapheus of the Armenian Themes, 10th century. Seal (Lead, 25 mm, 12.82 g, 11 h). [M]/I-X/A The archangel Michael standing facing, nimbate and dressed in a loros, holding labarum in his right hand and globe in his left. Rev. +ΘEOΦV/ΛAKT, R’A’C/ΠAΘ KPIT, / S ANAΓPAΦ, T, APMЄN[…] / ΘЄM, in six lines. Unpublished in the standard references. Some roughness and a surface crack along the channel on the reverse, otherwise, good very fine.


The Armenian Themes, not to be confused with the Armeniakon theme in northern Asia Minor, comprised a network of several small regions along the eastern border of the empire, mostly fortresses with their hinterland. These districts were under the command of tourmarchai and minor strategoi, and in the 11th century, we even find a general strategos of all the 'Armenian Themes'. Most of the seals belonging to fiscal officials, judges and bureaucrats serving in the Armenian Themes belong to this period.