Leu Numismatik AG
Web Auction 16 22-24 May 2021
View prices realized
► Sale information
Find similar lots
Theodoros, metropolites of Laodicea (in Phrygia), 7th-early 8th century. Seal (Lead, 26 mm, 23.12 g, 12 h). Cruciform monogram of ΘЄOTOKЄ BOHΘЄI; ΘЄ-Ⲱ/ΔO-[PⲰ] in quadrants ("Mother of God, help your servant"), all within wreath. Rev. ANAΞ/I૪ ЄΠICKO/Π૪ THC ΛAO/ΔIKЄⲰN M/HTPⲰΠO/ΛЄⲰC ("unworthy bishop of the metropolis of Laodicea") in six lines. Cf. DO Seals III, 21.1 (Aemilios, metropolitan of Laodicea) = Laurent, Corpus V/1, 525 (for a seal struck from the same reverse die). Minor scrapes, otherwise, very fine.
The reverse of this seal is struck from the same die as the seal in Dumbarton Oaks, which shows a simple monogram of the personal name Aemilios on its obverse. Evidently, when the new Laodicean metropolitan bishop came into office, only the obverse die with the name was changed in the boulloterion, while the reverse die with the generic legend was retained. Our seal is likely the youngest (implying that Theodore succeeded Aemilios), because it has an invocational monogram with a legend in the quadrants, a design that became particularly popular on Byzantine seals during the 8th century.
The reverse of this seal is struck from the same die as the seal in Dumbarton Oaks, which shows a simple monogram of the personal name Aemilios on its obverse. Evidently, when the new Laodicean metropolitan bishop came into office, only the obverse die with the name was changed in the boulloterion, while the reverse die with the generic legend was retained. Our seal is likely the youngest (implying that Theodore succeeded Aemilios), because it has an invocational monogram with a legend in the quadrants, a design that became particularly popular on Byzantine seals during the 8th century.