Theophylaktos Dalassenos, imperial protospatharios, vestes (?) and katepano, 1st half 11th century. Seal (Lead, 26 mm, 9.30 g, 6 h). [+KЄ] RO/HΘ, TⲰ CⲰ / Δ, ΘⲰΦVΛ[A]/KT, R’A’CΠ[A]/ΘAP… in five lines. Rev. [RE]CT[H / S KA]TЄΠ/…AP, T, / [ΔA]ΛACH… in five lines. Apparently unpublished, but cf. Cheynet, Société p. 419 ('Les Dalassènoi'), no. 4. (for other seals belonging to Theophylaktos Dalassenos). Breakage along the channel and surface roughness, otherwise, very fine.



Theophylaktos Dalassenos was the son of Damianos Dalassenos, the doux of Antioch. When his father was killed in battle in 998, Theophylaktos and his brother were captured and sold to the Fatimids for 6,000 gold dinars. The brothers spent a decade in captivity in Cairo. After his release, Theophylaktos embarked on a distinguished military career, culminating in his appointment as strategos of Anatolikon, where he was tasked with suppressing the rebellion of Nikephoros Xiphias and Nikephoros Phokas. Many seals survive that document stages of his career not mentioned in narrative sources. At one point, he served as katepano of Iberia and later as katepano of Vaspurakan, two Armenian provinces. His last known position was doux of Antioch, like his father, likely in the 1030s. His downfall came in 1039 when he and his family were exiled after being accused of conspiring against emperor Michael.