Thathoul Pakourianos, protonobellisimos and archon of the archontes, circa 1100. Seal (Lead, 26 mm, 12.87 g, 12 h). Saint Theodore, nimbate, standing facing, holding spear in his right hand and resting his left on shield.
Rev. ...ANⲰRЄΛΛCM / S APXⲰ TⲰN AP/XONTⲰN / O ΠA/[K]OVPIANO' in seven lines. Zacos Sale II 129 var. (same legend, but differently spaced and in dative). Cf. J.-C. Cheynet: Thathoul, archonte des archontes, in: REB 48 (1990), p. 233-242 and Zacos Sale II 128. A highly interesting Byzantine seal of great historical interest. Some corrosion, surface cracks along the channel and minor smoothing
, otherwise, very fine.
From a European collection, formed before 2005.
Cheynet associates the owner of this seal with T'at'ul, an Armenian governor of the town of Germanikeia (Marash) under Alexios I Komnenos (1081-1118). Situated strategically on the eastern border, Germanikeia controlled the route to Antioch. During the First Crusade, it served as a resting place for Norman forces under Bohemond and Richard of Salerno, who acknowledged T'at'ul's authority as governor. However, in 1104, another Crusader contingent led by Bohemond and Joscelin of Courtenay seized Germanikeia, deposing the Armenian governor who then retreated to Constantinople. T'at'ul's family name links him to the illustrious Pakourianoi family, of Georgian descent.
Another seal type attributed to T'at'ul exists, slightly different in style (Zacos Sale II, 128), as detailed in a dedicated article by Cheynet. A second parallel example was sold in our Web Auction 20, 3178. This variant exhibits a 'provincial' design characterized by unconventional letter forms, a nominative legend, and omits the family name.
