Apnelgaripes, magistros

Apnelgaripes, magistros, 2nd half 11th century. Seal (Lead, 33 mm, 20.35 g, 12 h). Θ / Γ/Є/Ⲱ/P; to right, ΓI|O|C Saint George, nimbate, standing facing, holding spear in his right hand and resting his left on shield. Rev. +KЄ ROH/[Θ]ЄI TⲰ CⲰ / ΔOVΛⲰ AΠ/NЄΛΓPIΠH / MΓITPⲰ in five lines. Zacos II 362 var. (legend); Seyrig 40 var. (same); Metcalf Cyprus, 227 var. (same). Spink 132 (2nd Zacos sale), 117 var. (same). A beautiful and very well preserved seal of a very important Armenian nobleman. Struck slightly off center, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.


The accented vowels in the second, fourth and fifth lines are a very rare feature on Byzantine seals, especially from this period (the cited examples from another boulloterion do not show the accents). Apnelgaripes can be identified with the Armenian nobleman Abul-Gharib Artsruni, son of Hasan. His family was closely associated to the family of Senacherim Johannes, prince of Vaspurakan. Although being of high Armenian descent, Apnelgaripes adhered to Byzantine orthodoxy and served the emperor Michael VII as governor of Cilicia. One of his daughters married David, son of Gagik II, the last king of Ani. Another of his daughters married Oshin of Lampron, from whom the Huthumids descended, rulers of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia in the 13th-14th centuries.

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21.05.2021