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John protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou, judge of the Hippodrome, mystographos, and imperial notarios of the asekreteia (?) (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Standing figure of St. John the Baptist, offering a blessing and holding an open rotulus. A small plant or flower is to his right. Sigla: .|.ο||ο||ρ, : [ὁ ἅ(γιος) Ἰ]ω(άννης) ὁ Πρόδρ(ομος). Indeterminate border.

Reverse

Inscription of at least eight lines. Border of dots.


ι̅ασπ,θ,
επιτ,γκλ
κριτ,επ.τ.
.ορομ
μυστογρ,φ
⸣̅νοταρ
.να.

Ἰω(άννης) (πρωτο)σπ(α)θ(άριος) ἐπὶ τ(οῦ) Χρ(υσο)τρικλ(ίνου), κριτ(ὴς) ἐπ[ὶ] τ[οῦ Ἱ]πποδρόμου, μυστογρ(ά)φ(ος) (καὶ) β(ασιλικὸς) νοτάρ(ιος) [τ]ῶν ἀ[σκηκρητείων]

Obverse

Standing figure of St. John the Baptist, offering a blessing and holding an open rotulus. A small plant or flower is to his right. Sigla: .|.ο||ο||ρ, : [ὁ ἅ(γιος) Ἰ]ω(άννης) ὁ Πρόδρ(ομος). Indeterminate border.

Reverse

Inscription of at least eight lines. Border of dots.


ι̅ασπ,θ,
επιτ,γκλ
κριτ,επ.τ.
.ορομ
μυστογρ,φ
⸣̅νοταρ
.να.

Ἰω(άννης) (πρωτο)σπ(α)θ(άριος) ἐπὶ τ(οῦ) Χρ(υσο)τρικλ(ίνου), κριτ(ὴς) ἐπ[ὶ] τ[οῦ Ἱ]πποδρόμου, μυστογρ(ά)φ(ος) (καὶ) β(ασιλικὸς) νοτάρ(ιος) [τ]ῶν ἀ[σκηκρητείων]

Accession number BZS.1947.2.728
Diameter 22.0 mm

Translation

Ἰωάννης πρωτοσπαθάριος ἐπὶ τοῦ Χρυσοτρικλίνου, κριτὴς ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἱπποδρόμου, μυστογράφος καὶ βασιλικὸς νοτάριος τῶν ἀσκηκρητείων.

John protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou, judge of the Hippodrome, mystographos, and imperial notarios of the asekreteia.

Commentary

The restoration of the final words of the inscription is admittedly provisional, but the secure reading "imperial notarios" excludes the restoration of the name of a theme or of agelon (which had protonotarioi); a family name is also unlikely, though not out of the question. On the notarios of the asekreteia (who were jurists, as was the owner of this seal), see Oikonomides, Listes, 311.