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John kommerkiarios of Seleukeia (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of St. Nicholas blessing with his right hand and in his left hand holding a book decorated with dots. On either side, traces of a vertical inscription: |ΝΚ|ΟὉ ἅ(γιος) Ν[ι]κό[λ](αος). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

Θ̅ΚΕ
,Ι̅Κ
..ΡΚΙΑ
.ΣΕΛΕΥ
ΚΙΑΣ

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οήθει) Ἰω(άννῃ) κου[με]ρκια[ρ(ίῳ)] Σελευκίας

Obverse

Bust of St. Nicholas blessing with his right hand and in his left hand holding a book decorated with dots. On either side, traces of a vertical inscription: |ΝΚ|ΟὉ ἅ(γιος) Ν[ι]κό[λ](αος). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

Θ̅ΚΕ
,Ι̅Κ
..ΡΚΙΑ
.ΣΕΛΕΥ
ΚΙΑΣ

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οήθει) Ἰω(άννῃ) κου[με]ρκια[ρ(ίῳ)] Σελευκίας

Accession number BZS 1955.1.2401
Diameter 26.0 mm; field: 20.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 6.18a.

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Ἰωάννῃ κουμερκιαρίῳ Σελευκίας.

Mother of God, help John kommerkiarios of Seleukeia.

Commentary

From the seals of kommerkiarioi, it is evident that its connections by land and sea made Seleukeia a center for the importation and distribution of silk, as noted in the Book of the Prefect, 5.1.

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)
  • Le livre du préfet; ou, L’édit de l’empereur Léon le Sage sur les corporations de Constantinople (Open in Zotero)
  • Das Eparchenbuch Leons des Weisen (Open in Zotero)