★ Zacharias, the protostrator of Romanus I Lecapenus ★

Zacharias, imperial protospatharios and protostrator of Christophoros, the Christ-loving emperor, 921-931. Seal (Lead, 24 mm, 5.57 g, 11 h). [+K]Є ROHΘЄI TⲰ CⲰ Δ૪Λ[Ⲱ] Peacock advancing right, tied to a rope and holding a branch in its beak. Rev. +ZAXAP/HA R'A'CΠAΘ, / S A'CTPAT, XP/HCTOΦ, T, ΦIΛ/OX' ΔЄCΠ, in five lines. Apparently unpublished. A wonderfully preserved seal with a charming obverse design and an exceptional legend. Minor cracks along the channel, otherwise, extremely fine.

Zacharias was a protostrator, an elevated official in the imperial court in close proximity with the emperor. Most protostrators are only known from their seals, but a selected few like Michael II and Basil I even became emperors themselves. Unfortunately, Byzantine dignitaries almost never specify in their seal legends which emperors they served: if the emperor is referenced at all, it is always by his title (i.e. 'servant of our holy and powerful emperor'). That is why this piece is so extraordinary: Zacharias mentions on his seal that he is the protostrator of 'Christophoros philochristos despotes' - this must be Christophorus, son of Romanus I Lecapenus, who became associate emperor in 921 and died in circa 931.