Печат на Приск от Сердика (VI–VII в.)
Seal of Priscos from Serdica, 6th–7th centuries

Summary/Abstract: The work presnts a Byzantine lead seal discovered in the course of archaeological exacavation in Serdica in 2016. Obverse: The Virgin standing holding a medallion with the figure of Infant Jesus before her chest. In field left and right cross and star. Reverse: Cruciform monogram – Πρίσκου. The lead seal belonging to the military commander Priscos, who served the Byzantine emperors Maurice Tiberius (582–602) and Phocas (602–610) and guided the military operations of the Byzantine army against the invasions of Khazars and Slavs on the Lower Danube, is also dated back to the late 6th century. Serdica is the westernmost point of the distributi on of the seals of this military commander, which indicates the significance of the city to the superior commander. The historical value of molivdovul is excepti onal because it is related to events that took place in 599, when the Byzantine army headed by Priscos crossed the Danube at Viminacium, fought against the Avars for ten days and whilst pursuing them invaded the territory of the Avar Khanate in Pannonia. The complicated military situati on was accompanied by a terrible plague epidemic in Thrace. It probably prompted the military commander Priscos to send a lett er with orders to Serdica, which he sealed with the seal discovered at Sveta Nedelya Square excavati ons. The recipient remains unknown, but it is certain that he had a high positi on in the civil or military authoriti es and as such, he had to implement the orders of the commander of the Byzantine army. It seems quite possible that the official in question has resided in the excavated public building.

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