Photios, Patriarch of Constantinople

Sale: Triton XI, Lot: 1136. Estimate $5000.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 January 2008.  Sold For $6000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Photios. Patriarch of Constantinople, 858-67 and 877-86. PB Seal (38mm, 25.88 g, 12h). [VPER]AGIAQE OTOKEROHQEI, the Theotokos Hodeghetria, standing facing, wearing chiton and maphorion, holding the child Christ in her left arm / [+]FwTIw/ [AR]CIEPICKOPw/ [K]wNCTANTIN(OY)/POLEwC NEAC/ RwMHC+ in five lines. BLS II 7a var. (rev. legend break); DOCBS -; Seyrig -; Vatican 152 var. (reverse); Orghidan -; Jordanov -. Good Fine, even grey patina.

From the Robert E. Hecht Collection.

Born of an aristocratic family and educated in the classics, Photios was regarded as one of the foremost scholars of his day. His ecclesiastical career, however, was marred by problems, and Photios suffered the misfortune of being deposed from the office of patriarch on two occasions. With the dismissal of Ignatius, Patriarch of Constantinople, in 858, Photios, a layman, was elected as his replacement. This move infuriated the Pope, already quarelling with the Orthodox Church over their evangelization of the Slavs and Bulgars, and led to a schism between the Churches of Rome and Constantinople. At a council of 869 in Constantinople, Photios was deposed and excommunicated and Ignatius reinstated as patriarch. Upon Ignatius’ death in 877, the emperor Basil I restored Photios to the patriarchate. Photios sided with Basil during the emperor’s conflict with his son, Leo VI, and when Leo succeeded his father, Photios was promptly dismissed a second time. He died in exile about 893.