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Aphrodisios spatharokandidatos epi tou Chrysotriklinou (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

St. Nicholas standing and holding the book. Vertical inscription: |νι|κ,λ|α|ο : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Νικ(ό)λαο(ς). Linear border.

Reverse

Inscription of seven lines. Linear border.

.υλ.τε
μεοι..τη
.λιτροντ
..υα..οδι.
.παθαρκαˋ
.δεπητ
γκ,

[φ]ύλ[α]τέ με οἰ[κέ]τη(ν) ἀλιτρὸν τοῦ [Κ(υρίο]υ Ἀ[φρ]οδί[σ(ιον) σ]παθαρ(ο)κα(ν)[δ(ι)]δ[ᾶτον] ἐπὴ τοῦ Χρ(υσο)(τρι)κ(λίνου)

Obverse

St. Nicholas standing and holding the book. Vertical inscription: |νι|κ,λ|α|ο : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Νικ(ό)λαο(ς). Linear border.

Reverse

Inscription of seven lines. Linear border.

.υλ.τε
μεοι..τη
.λιτροντ
..υα..οδι.
.παθαρκαˋ
.δεπητ
γκ,

[φ]ύλ[α]τέ με οἰ[κέ]τη(ν) ἀλιτρὸν τοῦ [Κ(υρίο]υ Ἀ[φρ]οδί[σ(ιον) σ]παθαρ(ο)κα(ν)[δ(ι)]δ[ᾶτον] ἐπὴ τοῦ Χρ(υσο)(τρι)κ(λίνου)

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.3729
Diameter 24.0 mm
Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore.

Translation

φύλατέ με οἰκέτην ἀλιτρὸν τοῦ κυρίου Ἀφροδίσιον σπαθαροκανδιδᾶτον ἐπὴ τοῦ Χρυσοτρικλίνου.

Protect me, the sinful servant of the Lord, Aphrodisios, spatharokandidatos epi tou Chrysotriklinou.

Commentary

The reading in line two of the reverse makes sense but is somewhat forced, given the shape of the letter preceding the τ in οἰκέτην which does not suggest an epsilon. The restitution of the owner's name is also uncertain. It would also seem that the first part of the inscription is metrical, consisting of two seven-syllable hemistichs, but whether this was intentional or accidental is an open question.