A Eunuch Grand Admiral in the Service of the Emperor
I had already presented this seal some time ago, but the title of pinkernès had escaped me at the time. Its discovery considerably changes the significance of the piece and therefore deserves to be brought back into the spotlight.
This seal belonged to a man who held three important titles within the Byzantine Empire: patrikios, droungarios tou ploimou, commander of the imperial fleet stationed at Constantinople, and pinkernès, a court dignity originally associated with the office of imperial cupbearer.
The patrikios was a high honorary dignity, inherited from the Roman patricius. During the 9th and 10th centuries, it was granted in particular to important governors and generals. Although prestigious, it was relatively common and is therefore not the most exceptional element of this seal.
The droungarios tou ploimou was the commander of the imperial fleet based at Constantinople. The position grew in importance during the 9th century and became, by the 10th century, one of the principal positions in the naval command structure. Several prominent figures held the office, including Romanos Lekapenos, before his accession to the imperial throne.
Since this seal can be dated to the late 10th or early 11th century, its owner still held this position at a time when the droungarios tou ploimou occupied a major position within the imperial navy. He can therefore be compared to what we would today call a Grand Admiral, although this is a modern approximation and not a literal translation of the Byzantine title.
The pinkernès originally referred to the cupbearer responsible for serving wine to the emperor or empress. Over time, the term also became a prestigious dignity of the imperial court. This position was particularly associated with eunuchs, who held numerous offices within the imperial palace.
It is above all this latter dignity that makes the seal exceptional. The title of pinkernès is extremely rare in sigillography, and its presence on the seal of a man who was simultaneously a senior commander of the imperial fleet and a court dignitary is particularly remarkable.
The owner of the seal was named Andronikos. A parallel to this seal is preserved in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, providing a valuable point of comparison for this exceptional piece.
Reconstructed reading
Θ(εοτό)κε β(ο)ήθ(ει) τῷ σ[ῷ δ]ούλῳ Ἀν[δ]ρονίκ(ῳ) [π(ατ)]ρικίῳ [πι]γκέ(ρνι) (καὶ) [δ]ρουγγα[ρ(ίῳ)] [τ]ῶν πλο[ΐμ(ου)].
Literal translation:
“Mother of God, help your servant Andronikos, patrikios, pinkernès and droungarios of the fleet.”