Byzantine seal of Konon patrikios (possibly future emperor Leo III AD 717-741)
(early 8th century AD)
Obv.: + KO / NW / NOC, Cypress trees to left and right, all within wreath border.

Rev.: + ΠΑ/ΤΡΙ/ΚΙOV, Cypress trees to left and right, all within wreath border.

Cf. Zacos/Veglery 899, Seibt, BBÖ 1, 135 and Berlin I 169. See Konstantopoulos, Athens, 231 and No. 783 of present auction for a seal type of the same individual bearing the lower rank of tourmarches, also with cypress trees.
It is very probable that both seal types of “Konon” belong to the future emperor Leo III. Leo, who had the birth name of Konon, made himself a good military career, and according to the sources he was strategos of Anatolikon before he ascended to the purple. The military office just before strategos (general of a ‘thema’) was tourmarches (a ‘thema’ consisted of four ‘tourmai’).

Condition: Very Fine

Weight: 9.50 gr
Diameter: 23 mm