Erbebios (Norman 'Hervé') Phrangopoulos, hypatos and strategos (?), middle 11th century. Seal (Lead, 33 mm, 24.86 g, 11 h). O / A/Γ/I-O-C - Π[ЄTP]-O-[C] Nimbate bust of Saint Peter facing, raising his right hand in benediction, and holding scroll in his left hand. Rev. +KЄ RO/HΘ' TO CO Δ/૪Λ' ЄPRЄRI / ΠATH S CT/...TH O ΦPA/NΓOΠO/ΛC in seven lines. Apparently unpublished, but Werner Seibt mentions an unpublished seal from his personal notes mentioning Erbebios, hypatos and CT.ATH (SBS 10 p. 92). A beautiful seal of great historical importance. Good very fine.


The name Herbebios (Hervé) Phrangopoulos ('Son of the Frank') appears on several seal types. They can be attributed to Hervé, the Norman adventurer who is mentioned as a military commander in imperial service by the Byzantine historian, John Skylitzes. He first appears during a campaign against the muslims in Sicily in the late 1030s, while during the 1040s, he was fighting against the Pechenegs. In 1056, however, Hervé felt bitterly insulted after the emperor, Michael VI, refused to elevate him to the rank of magistros, and their relationship soured as a result. Soon after, he turned rogue and moved eastward towards Lake Van with a following of 300 Norman mercenaries who were wintering in the Armeniakon theme, where he may have intended to set up his own state, even allying himself with Turkish forces. However, he was eventually captured by loyal forces and extradited to the Capital, after which he was reconciled with the emperor.

The Armenian historian, Matthew of Edessa, mentions him as a 'mighty prince' in the East in the year 1062/3, which is confirmed by the seals, which not only name him 'stratelates of the East', but also attest the grant of the elevated court title of magistros. Recently, Werner Seibt published a seal type that may shed light on the final stage of his career. It mentions Herbebios Phrangopoulos with the even higher court rank of proedros, having the authority over 'akephales Anatoles' ('the East without a commander'). Seibt proposes that this seal must be dated to the aftermath of the disastrous battle of Manzikert of 1071, reflecting Hervé taking command of the remaining Byzantine forces in Asia Minor (SBS 10, p. 89-96, a date supported by Cheynet in his edition of a parallel example, cf. Collection Tatis 3.43). Interestingly, a seal type without any ranks and titles names him 'Gallos' ('Gaul'), indicating he was a Norman from France, not Italy.