Lot 288
288
Katakalon Gabras (second half 12th century), Saint Eleutherios standing facing, vertical inscriptions in field to left and right, ***, rev. monogram within circle of metrical legend, ***, 16.02g. (the only example known, ex coll. Diamanti; cf. Seibt, Zur Problematik byzantinischer Monogrammseigel, SBS 3, p.24, photo p.25, no.2), extremely fine
Katakalon Gabras (second half 12th century), Saint Eleutherios standing facing, vertical inscriptions in field to left and right, ***, rev. monogram within circle of metrical legend, ***, 16.02g. (the only example known, ex coll. Diamanti; cf. Seibt, Zur Problematik byzantinischer Monogrammseigel, SBS 3, p.24, photo p.25, no.2), extremely fine

Details
Katakalon Gabras (second half 12th century), Saint Eleutherios standing facing, vertical inscriptions in field to left and right, ***, rev. monogram within circle of metrical legend, ***, 16.02g. (the only example known, ex coll. Diamanti; cf. Seibt, Zur Problematik byzantinischer Monogrammseigel, SBS 3, p.24, photo p.25, no.2), extremely fine

Lot Essay

Katakalon is not known from any other source. This is a rare appearance of Saint Eleuthios on a Byzantine seal. He was the patron saint of childbirth, and it is unlikely that it is in this capacity that he is invoked on this seal. No doubt he represented in some way the liberty for which the Gabradoi were struggling against both Turks and Constantinople.