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Eustratios monk and hegoumenos of the monastery of Stoudios (eleventh century, first half)

 
 

Obverse

Half-length representation of St. John Prodromos; a long patriarchal cross is visible in his left hand. Columnar inscription at right: ο||δ|ρ : [ὁ ἅ(γιος) Ἰω(άννης)] ὁ Πρ(ό)δρ(ομος). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of eight lines. Border of dots.

κε..
τσδ
ευστρ
μονα
γμεν
ηστ
στδ
.

Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)[θ(ει)] τῷ σῷ δ[ού(λῳ)] Εὐστρ[ατ(ίῳ)] μονα[χ(ῷ), ἡ]γουμέν(ῳ) [μον]ῆς τῶ[ν] Στουδ[ί]ω(ν)

Obverse

Half-length representation of St. John Prodromos; a long patriarchal cross is visible in his left hand. Columnar inscription at right: ο||δ|ρ : [ὁ ἅ(γιος) Ἰω(άννης)] ὁ Πρ(ό)δρ(ομος). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of eight lines. Border of dots.

κε..
τσδ
ευστρ
μονα
γμεν
ηστ
στδ
.

Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)[θ(ει)] τῷ σῷ δ[ού(λῳ)] Εὐστρ[ατ(ίῳ)] μονα[χ(ῷ), ἡ]γουμέν(ῳ) [μον]ῆς τῶ[ν] Στουδ[ί]ω(ν)

Accession number BZS.1947.2.31
Diameter 28.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 59.1; Laurent, Corpus 5.2: no. 1195 (tenth/eleventh century). Parallel specimen published in Zacos, Seals II, no. 460. See PBW: Eustratios 20113.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Εὐστρατίῳ μοναχῷ, ἡγουμένῳ μονῆς τῶν Στουδίων.

Lord, help your servant Eustratios monk (and) hegoumenos of the monastery of Stoudios.

Commentary

Laurent suggests that Eustratios was the immediate predecessor of Patriarch Alexios (1025–1043) in overseeing the affairs of the monastery of Stoudios. We note that the seal should date after 1030 because of the presence of the horseshoe omicron-upsilon ligature.

The Stoudios monastery, situated in the Psamathia district of Constantinople, was dedicated to St. John Prodromos. It was founded sometime before 454 by a certain Stoudios. The establishment was a center of resistance against iconoclasm. See ODB 3:1960–61.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 5: The East (continued), Constantinople and Environs, Unknown Locations, Addenda, Uncertain Readings (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
  • Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (Open in Zotero)