The Mysterious Seal of Alexios Komnenos from Tamatarcha
19 Pages Posted: 26 Jul 2014 Last revised: 28 Jul 2014
Date Written: July 25, 2014
Abstract
This research concerns the unique seal of a Byzantine aristocrat named Alexios Komnenos found in Tamatarcha (modern Taman’), which has only one parallel from Trebizond. The authors explain the meaning of images on the seal (the resurrection on its obverse and St George leading a warrior by the hand on its reverse) as an ideological program of the restoration of Byzantine power over Jerusalem. The warrior representing Alexios Komnenos is identified not as Alexios I Great Komenos of Trebizond (as usual), but as Alexios, son of the Emperor John II Komnenos, and the seal is re-dated from 13th to 12th century. Its find on the Taman’ peninsula corresponds with Byzantine political activity in this region.
Keywords: Byzantium, Taman’, sigillography, Medieval History, Trebizond, Jerusalem
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