Skip to Content

Sisinnios hypatos, imperial spatharios, and droungarios of Seleukeia (eighth century)

 
 

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (type V). In the quarters: ΤΟΣΟ|ΛΟ : το σο δούλο. Wreath border.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, with a decoration below. Wreath border.

ΣΙΣΙΝΙ
ΥΠΤ/
ΒΣΙ/ΣΠ
Θ/ΡΟΥ/
ΣΕΛΕΥ


Σισινίῳ ὑπατ(ῳ), βασι(λικῷ) σπαθ(αρίῳ), (καὶ) δρου(γγαρίῳ) Σελευ(κείας).

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (type V). In the quarters: ΤΟΣΟ|ΛΟ : το σο δούλο. Wreath border.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, with a decoration below. Wreath border.

ΣΙΣΙΝΙ
ΥΠΤ/
ΒΣΙ/ΣΠ
Θ/ΡΟΥ/
ΣΕΛΕΥ


Σισινίῳ ὑπατ(ῳ), βασι(λικῷ) σπαθ(αρίῳ), (καὶ) δρου(γγαρίῳ) Σελευ(κείας).

Accession number BZS 1947.2.86
Diameter 25.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 6.4; Zacos-Veglery, no. 3178.

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει το σο δούλο Σισινίῳ ὑπατῳ, βασιλικῷ σπαθαρίῳ, καὶ δρουγγαρίῳ Σελευκείας.

Mother of God, help your servant Sisinnios, hypatos, imperial spatharios, and droungarios of Seleukeia.

Commentary

The first letter of the fourth line, read by Zacos-Veglery as a tau, is in fact a tau subsequently corrected to a theta.

The dating of the seal is secure based on the epigraphy, the decoration on the reverse, and on the order of the titles (hypatos preceding imperial spatharios, which is also found on other eighth-century seals; see Zacos-Veglery, no. 598 and BZS.1955.1.2044 and its parallels). The dating thus confirms that in the mid-eighth century Seleukeia formed a part of the maritime theme of the Kibyrrhaiotai, and provided a naval contingent under the command of a droungarios. See also Hild-Hellenkemper, Kilikien und Isaurien, p. 403; for the seal of another droungarios of Seleukeia, see SBS 3 (1993): 195.

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)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
  • Kilikien und Isaurien (Open in Zotero)