An important historically seal of the famous
Philaretos Vrachamios, kouropalates and doux
(ca 1080 AD)

(Lead, 12.46 gr, 23.70 mm, 12h). Condition: Some scrapes and scuffs, otherwise Fine plus. Uncleaned with a nice natural grey patina.

Obv.: Saint martyr Theodore, standing facial, nimbate, holding a spear with his right hand and resting his left hand on a shield, sigla in the field, ο / θ / ε / ο-δ / ω / ρ / ο, = Ὁ ἅγιος Θεόδωρος (Saint Theodore), dotted border.

Rev.: Inscription in 5 lines, φιλα / ρετο, κου / ροπαλ / ατη, δου / [κα] οrρα, = Φιλαρέτῳ κουροπαλάτῃ δούκᾳ, ὁ Βρα(χάμης) (Philaretos Vrachames, kouropalates and doux), dotted border.

Philaretos Brachamios was a distinguished Byzantine general and warlord of Armenian heritage. Philaretos is testified on seals as Taxiarches (Commander of an infantry regiment), as well as Protospatharios & Topoteretes (deputy commander) of the Tagmata of Cappadocia, then as Magister & Doux (Duke), then as Kouropalates & Doux. He held a high command in the army of Romanus IV Diogenes. After the battle of Manzikert (1071) - he commanded the forces of the fortress Romanopolis, he later escaped to the fortress of Germanicia. As the only remaining Byzantine general in the southeast he established a quasi autonomous realm, which stretched from Cilicia to Edessa. The core of his army was composed of 8000 Franks (Normans) under Raimbaud. In 1078, at the beginning of the rule of Nicephorus III Botaniates, he became Kouropalates & Doux of Antioch as well as Edessa. Several seals testify him as Megas Domestikos and Protokouropalates then Sebastos, then even still Protosebastos. In December 1084 he lost Antioch to Suleiman, the Sultan of Nicaea, in 1087 Edessa fell to Malik Shah and Philaretos escaped back to the fortress of Germanicia. However, some sources indicate that he died in 1086. He was the last well-known Scholen Domestikos of Anatolia. His sons handed Germanicia in 1098 to Crusaders (cf. Chronicles of Matthew of Edessa, translation by A. Dostourian, Armenia and the Crusades, 10th to 12th Centuries. The Chronicle of Matthew of Edessa [Lanham, MD-London, 1993]).