Watch List notes:

Lead Seal of Samouel Alousianos, Proedros and Dux (11th cent.) Obverse: The Virgin Mary seatted on throne, en face, full-lenght, nimbate, wearing mandyas, holding Jesus Christ as child in her arms. Circular inscription: +Θ(ΕΟΤΟ)ΚΕ Β(ΟΗ)Θ(ΕΙ) ΤΩ [ΣΩ ΔΟΥΛΩ] (Mother of God, help your servant). Reverse: Inscription in 5 lines: + CΑΜΟΥΗΛ/ ΠΡΟΕΔΡΩ/ ΚΑΙ ΔΟΥΚΙ/ ΤΩ ΑΛΟΥ/ CΙΑΝΩ (+ Samouel Proedros and Dux the Alousianos). The owner of the seal Samouel Alousianos came from Bulgaria, was son of Alousianos and Dalassene, brother of Basileios and Ann, grandson of Bulgar Tsar Ivan Vladislav. He was married to M... Dalassene, daughter of Constantinus Dalassenus and had a son, Constantine, who became vestarches. Samouel, who died after 1068, became a byzantine high rank officer, strategos, proedros, vestarches and dux (commander) of Edessa, under the byzantine emperor Romanos IV Diogenes. His sister was the first wife of Romanus IV Diogenes. In 1069 AD, as commander of the five western tagmata, wintering in the Armenian themes, he was ordered to attack the Frankish rebel mercenary, commander Robert Crispin. The Byzantine forces were ambushed and defeated, but Samuel survived and rose to the rank of proedros.

Bibliography: Jordanov, Corpus II 24; Seibt-Zarnitz 3.1.9.

30 mm
20,54 gr
Very Fine
Property of a Dutch Collector