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Hypatios (seventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram. Wreath border.

β - δ - ε - η - θ - ι - κ - λ - ο - σ - τ - υ

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ

Reverse

Cruciform monogram. Wreath border.

α - ι - ο - π - S - τ - υ

(καὶ ?) Ὑπατίου

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram. Wreath border.

β - δ - ε - η - θ - ι - κ - λ - ο - σ - τ - υ

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ

Reverse

Cruciform monogram. Wreath border.

α - ι - ο - π - S - τ - υ

(καὶ ?) Ὑπατίου

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.2882
Diameter 22.0 mm
Previous Editions

Zacos-Veglery, no. 3065 (who read the title hypatos on the reverse and suggest that the obverse may read Θεοτόκε βοήθει Θεοδοσίου).

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Ὑπατίου.

Theotokos, help your servant Hypatios.

Commentary

The obverse invocative monogram is irregular in that it is a type I Θεοτόκε βοήθει monogram, with a ligaturized upsilon attached to the omicron on the upper arm of the cruciform, and an underlined delta attached under the underlined beta at the bottom of the lower arm. These stacked underlined letters are extremely irregular, and indicate that the delta and upsilon were added to indicate either a name, such as Θεοδούλου (Theodoulos), Θεοδοσίου (Theodosios), or Δοσιθέου (Dositheos), or, more likely, to complete the invocation (τῷ σῷ δούλῳ). However there seems to be a sigma descending from the alpha on the right arm of the cruciform, which would imply a καί. The meaning of this, if indeed a καὶ was intended, is uncertain, unless the obverse does contain a name within the invocative monogram, as Zacos and Veglery suggest, and we have here a seal of two individuals.

Bibliography