Watch List notes:

Artavasdos, strategos of Anatolikon, late 8th century-early 9th century. Seal (Lead, 24 mm, 11.56 g, 12 h). Large cruciform monogram ΘЄOTOKЄ BOHΘH; in quadrants, [TⲰ - CⲰ] / Δ૪-ΛⲰ ('Mother of God, help your servant'). Rev. [+APTA]VACΔO CT/PA' TON AN/ATOΛIK, in four lines. Dumbarton Oaks, BZS.1951.31.5.2408 (dated to the 9th century). Zacos/Veglery 1745 (dated late 8th century). Some scratches, otherwise, good very fine.


Zacos and Veglery attribute this seal type to a strategos of Anatolikon during the reign of Leo IV. Artavasdos, whose name reveals his Armenian descent, is mentioned by Theophanes (451, for the year 777/778) as one of the commanders of a Byzantine campaign against Arab forces in Syria, in which armies from the Anatolikon, Thrakesion, Armeniakon and Opsikion themes were deployed. The Byzantines would have captured the city of Germanikeia, the historian says, but the strategos of Armeniakon was bribed by the Arabs not to proceed. The parallel examples in Dumbarton Oaks are dated to the ninth century by their editors based on style and they attribute the seal type to an otherwise unknown strategos of Anatolikon in the 9th century.