Roma Numismatics Ltd
E-Sale 97 26 May 2022
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Byzantine Iconographic PB Seal in the name of Romanos Argyros, magistros. Circa 10th century AD. ✠ [KЄRO]HΘЄITѠCѠΔOVΛѠ, peacock with its tail outspread; all within border of dots / ✠ PѠMA NѠMAΓH[C] TPѠTѠ[AP] ΓVPѠ in four lines, ornament above and below; all within border of dots. Translation: Lord, help your servant Romanos Argyros, magistros. DOC -; BLS I -; BLS II -; Schlumberger, Sigillographie -; Stavrakos -; cf. Cheynet - Vannier, "Les Argyroi," ZRVI 40 (2003), 6 & 8. 11.01g, 30mm, 12h.
Condition as seen.
From the inventory of a German dealer.
The identification of the owner of this seal is problematic. Of the well-known Byzantine family of Argyroi, the Emperor Romanos III and Romanos, brother of Leon and Pothos, and son of Eustathios are best known. The latter was, in the summer of 917 like his brother Leon, one of the sub-commanders of the Byzantine army destroyed by the Bulgarians at Acheloos (Cheynet-Vannier, Argyroi 62, Nr. 6).
A second thesis could be that Romanos of our seal, an aristocrat in Romania (b. 920), was the son of the distinguished general Leon Argyros, brother of Marianos Argyros and husband of Agathe Lecapini, daughter of the Emperor Romanos I (Cheynet-Vannier, Argyroi 62, Nr. 8). Thus, Romanos became related to Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus and great-grandfather (or grandfather) of Romanos III.
Condition as seen.
From the inventory of a German dealer.
The identification of the owner of this seal is problematic. Of the well-known Byzantine family of Argyroi, the Emperor Romanos III and Romanos, brother of Leon and Pothos, and son of Eustathios are best known. The latter was, in the summer of 917 like his brother Leon, one of the sub-commanders of the Byzantine army destroyed by the Bulgarians at Acheloos (Cheynet-Vannier, Argyroi 62, Nr. 6).
A second thesis could be that Romanos of our seal, an aristocrat in Romania (b. 920), was the son of the distinguished general Leon Argyros, brother of Marianos Argyros and husband of Agathe Lecapini, daughter of the Emperor Romanos I (Cheynet-Vannier, Argyroi 62, Nr. 8). Thus, Romanos became related to Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus and great-grandfather (or grandfather) of Romanos III.