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Nicholas imperial protospatharios and strategos of Chrysava (tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of St. Nicholas blessing and holding book. Traces of sigla: Λ|Α.|Σ: Ὁ ἅγιος Νικόλαος. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

ΝΙΚΟΛ
ΑΣΠΑΘ
ΣΤΡΑΤ.
ΧΡΥΣΑ
ΑΣ

Νικολάῳ βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ στρατηγῷ Χρυσάβας

Obverse

Bust of St. Nicholas blessing and holding book. Traces of sigla: Λ|Α.|Σ: Ὁ ἅγιος Νικόλαος. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

ΝΙΚΟΛ
ΑΣΠΑΘ
ΣΤΡΑΤ.
ΧΡΥΣΑ
ΑΣ

Νικολάῳ βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ στρατηγῷ Χρυσάβας

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.2578
Diameter 20.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 1, no. 40.1.

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

Translation

Νικολάῳ βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ στρατηγῷ Χρυσάβας.

Nicholas imperial protospatharios and strategos of Chrysava.

Commentary

This place name first appears in the Escorial Taktikon (971-975): ὁ στρατηγὸς Στρυμόνος ἤτοι Χρυσάβας (the reading Χρυσεύβας is also possible based on the manuscript, but our seal provides the correct spelling). Oikonomides proposed that it be identified with Krousovo (Achladochori), situated in the Strymon valley, northeast of Siderokastron (Listes, 357).

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 1: Italy, North of the Balkans, North of the Black Sea (Open in Zotero)
  • Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)