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Paul archbishop of Corinth (tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

A decoration composed of an X with an elaborate fleuron in each quarter. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

ΠΥ̣
Λ̣ΟΕΛΑΧ́
ΑΡΧΗΕΠ,
ΚΟΠΟΚ.
ΡΙΝΘ /

Παύλο ἐλαχ(ίστῳ) ἀρχηεπ(ισ)κόπο Κ[ο]ρίνθ(ου)

Obverse

A decoration composed of an X with an elaborate fleuron in each quarter. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

ΠΥ̣
Λ̣ΟΕΛΑΧ́
ΑΡΧΗΕΠ,
ΚΟΠΟΚ.
ΡΙΝΘ /

Παύλο ἐλαχ(ίστῳ) ἀρχηεπ(ισ)κόπο Κ[ο]ρίνθ(ου)

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.1451
Diameter 22.0 mm; field: 17.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 2, no. 25.3a. See also Laurent, Corpus V/1, no. 557.

Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore.

Translation

Παύλο ἐλαχίστῳ ἀρχηεπισκόπο Κορίνθου.

Paul, most humble archbishop of Corinth.

Commentary

The owner of this seal may have been Paul, the brother of Peter of Argos, who was ordained archbishop of Corinth between 912 and 920 and who was later counted among the saint (Kominis, Gregorio, 43-45). For a different tenth century seal of Paul of Corinth, see Laurent, Corpus V/1, no. 556.

Corinth was the capital of the roman province of Achaïa (which included the Peloponnesos and mainland Greece) and may have served as capital of the theme of Hellas (cf. Sig., 182; Κορίνθου Ἑλλάδος). It certainly became the capital of the theme of Peloponnesos from the time of its creation (ca. 800). The city, in which an archon exercised authority (Corinth XII, nos. 2695, 2723), remained the main urban center and port of the region, by far outclassing Athens and Thebes (cf. E. Malamut, Sur la route des saints byzantins [Paris, 1993], 310).

The church, founded by St. Paul, was the metropolis of all Achaïa, but its prelates signed often as archbishops following the main tradition. Corinth's jurisdiction will be limited in part of the Peloponnesos when new metropoleis will be created around 800. Athens in the now separated theme of Hellas, and Patras in the west of the Peloponnesos. It is probably that its metropolitan church was dedicated to the two Saints Theodore (no. DO Seals 2, 25.2). Cf. Laurent, Corpus V/1, 411 ff (cf. Seyrig, nos. 244, 245); Fedalto, 483-85; ODB I, 531-33.

Bibliography