Nomos 38

BYZANTINE SEALS, Imperial Families. Andronikos Kantakuzenos, c. mid 13th century. Seal (Lead, 40.5 mm, 28.81 g, 12 h). O AΓ / ΘΕ /ΟΔΩ/PO/C - O / TH/ΡΩ/N St. Theodore Tiron (St. Theodore the Recruit), nimbate, bearded and in military attire, standing facing, holding a spear with his left hand and placing his left hand on his cross-decorated shield, set on the ground beside him. Rev. +ΑΝΔΡΩΝΙ/ΚΟΝ ΜΑΡΤΥC ΜΕ / ΚΕCΑΡΩΝ ΓΩΝΩ / ΠΟΡΦΥΡΩΦΥΕΙ ΚΑΤΑΚΟΥZΗΝΩΝ / CKEΠΕΙC (= St. Theodore please protect me, the Andronikos Kantakouzenos, offspring of Caesars, born in the purple) in six metric lines. Apparently unpublished, but cf. Wassiliou-Seibt, metrischen, 102 for a seal of Andronikos with the title protostrator. Well-centered and with a pleasant tan patina. Good very fine.

Regardless of the fact that Andronikos Kantakuzenos was an offspring of the great family of Kantakouzenoi, he is unknown to us. He cites himself as being an offspring of Caesars "born in the purple", but the only caesar of the Kantakouzenoi family was Iohannes Kantakouzenos, who married the sister of Isaac II Angelos in 1185/6. Could Andronikos actually be his son? Another possibility could be that he was the son of the emperor John VI Kantakouzenos, which would explain both the title "born in the purple" as well as the fact that he was an offspring of Caesars, but the style of this seal is apparently too early to support this possibility. Or is it?