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John monk and hegoumenos (tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

Greek inscription in three lines with decoration below. Border of dots.

Ι
ΜΧ̄ Η
ΓΜ,
  

Ἰωάννης μοναχὸς καὶ ἡγούμενος

Reverse

Latin inscription in two lines. Border of dots.

IOH̄S
ABB̄S

Iohannes abbas

Obverse

Greek inscription in three lines with decoration below. Border of dots.

Ι
ΜΧ̄ Η
ΓΜ,
  

Ἰωάννης μοναχὸς καὶ ἡγούμενος

Reverse

Latin inscription in two lines. Border of dots.

IOH̄S
ABB̄S

Iohannes abbas

Accession number BZS.1947.2.313
Diameter 22.0 mm; field: 15.0 mm
Previous Editions

Laurent, Corpus V/2, no. 1319.

Translation

Ἰωάννης μοναχὸς καὶ ἡγούμενος. Iohannes abbas.

John monk and hegoumenos. John abbot.

Commentary

This is a bilingual seal on which the Latin echoes the Greek (as abbas is the Latin equivalent of ἡγούμενος) but without stating that John is a monk. Laurent dated this seal to the sixth century and attributed the bilingualism to origins in Italy or Africa. Although in our view the lettering and abbreviations of the Greek inscription are very clearly tenth century, his suggestion that this seal comes from Byzantine Italy rings true.

Bibliography