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Malakenos imperial protospatharios and strategos of Macedonia (tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of St. Demetrios holding spear and round shield. Vertical inscription: Ο|Α|ΓΙ|Ο|ΣΔ|Η|ΜΙ|ΤΡΙ|Ο|Σ: Ὁ ἅγιος Δημίτριος. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

μλ
κιΝ̅̅̅σπ
θρ,Sστρ
τηγμκε
δονισ

Μαλακινὸς βασιλικὸς πρωτοσπαθάριος καὶ στρατηγὸς Μακεδονίας

Obverse

Bust of St. Demetrios holding spear and round shield. Vertical inscription: Ο|Α|ΓΙ|Ο|ΣΔ|Η|ΜΙ|ΤΡΙ|Ο|Σ: Ὁ ἅγιος Δημίτριος. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

μλ
κιΝ̅̅̅σπ
θρ,Sστρ
τηγμκε
δονισ

Μαλακινὸς βασιλικὸς πρωτοσπαθάριος καὶ στρατηγὸς Μακεδονίας

Accession number BZS.1955.1.2493
Diameter 23.0 mm

Translation

Μαλακινὸς βασιλικὸς πρωτοσπαθάριος καὶ στρατηγὸς Μακεδονίας.

Malakenos imperial protospatharios and strategos of Macedonia.

Commentary

The owner of this (and perhaps, of BZS.1958.106.1434) could well be the strategos of Longobardia of the same name (BZS.1955.1.1533), who died in 952; both strategoi bear the same honorific titles and the obverse of their seals have similar motifs. If this identification, which is by no means certain, is accepted, one should date the present specimen shortly before the appointment of Malakenos to Longobardia in 951.

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)
  • Philippes et la Macédoine orientale à l’époque chrétienne et byzantine; recherches d’histoire et d’archéologie (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantinische Rang- und Ämterstruktur im 8. und 9. Jahrhundert: Faktoren und Tendenzen ihrer Entwicklung (Open in Zotero)
  • La Macédoine orientale à l’époque byzantine: à propos d'un livre récent (Open in Zotero)
  • Sigillographie de l’Empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
  • Theophanes Continuatus, Ioannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus (Open in Zotero)