★ A nicely preserved seal of an important Byzantine general ★

Andronikos Abentinos, imperial protospatharios and strategos of Armeniakon, later 10th-first half of 11th century. Seal (Lead, 26 mm, 7.81 g, 12 h). +KЄ ROHΘЄI [T]Ⲱ CⲰ [ΔOVΛⲰ] - O / AΓI/O/C – Θ/ЄO/ΔⲰ/PO, (sigla in fields retrograde) Saint Theodore, nimbate, standing facing, holding a spear in his right hand, and resting his left hand on shield. Rev. +ANΔPO/[NI]K, R,A, CΠAΘ, / S CTPATIΓ, T/[Ⲱ]N APM,NIAK, / [TⲰ] AR,TIN, in five lines, decorations below. Unpublished in the standard references. A nicely preserved seal of an important Byzantine general. Good very fine.

Ex Leu Web Auction 31, 7-8 September 2024, 1656 and previously from a European collection, formed before 2005.