Thanasis Sotiriou, Institute for Mediterranean Studies/ FORTH

The honorific title of sebastos held a central position within the Byzantine title system from the eleventh to the fourteenth century. However, its evolution during the Late Byzantine period remains relatively unexplored by modern scholarship. Consequently, our understanding of the social characteristics of the sebastoi following 1204 is limited, hindering our ability to comprehend their seals and develop typologies or accurately date them. To address this gap, I conducted a survey of literary and archival sources spanning the period between 1204 and 1350. This involved examining approximately 200 sebastoi mentioned in texts related to the empire of Nicaea and the early Palaiologan empire. The results revealed the widespread distribution of the title across both the central imperial court and the provinces, extending to both civil and military officials. Moreover, it highlighted the practice of emperors bestowing the title upon middle and lower aristocrats, excluding descendants of the prominent families that shaped the extended imperial family. Building upon this dataset, my research extends to a systematic study of seals bearing the title of sebastos and dating from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. In this paper, I will present key findings derived from the analysis of seal data juxtaposed with information from written sources. The focus will primarily be on prosopography, familial networks, and the administrative and military positions held by the sebastoi in the period between 1204 and 1350. Additionally, I will explore the potential for re-dating seals based on insights extracted from written sources.