Gregory imperial protospatharios and judge of the Hippodrome and of the Thrakesioi (tenth/eleventh century)
Obverse
Bust of St. Gregory dressed as a bishop, turned slightly to right with hands outstretched toward hand of God reaching out from a mandorla. Inscription in two columns: |γρ|-ο|ρ|ι|ο|σ : Ὁ ἅ(γιος) Γρηγόριος. Circular inscription along a border of dots:
+χεοθσR,τσδουλ,
Χ(ριστ)ὲ ὁ Θ(εὸ)ς β(οήθει) τῷ σῷ δούλ(ῳ)
Reverse
Inscription of six lines preceded and followed by a row of pellets. Border of dots.
···
+γρηγ,
ορ,Rˊαˊσπα
.Sκριτ,επι
...ποδ.ομˋ
..τθρακ
..ιν
···
Γρηγορίῳ β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπα[θ(αρίῳ)] (καὶ) κριτ(ῇ) ἐπὶ [τ(οῦ) Ἱπ]ποδ[ρ]όμ(ου) [καὶ] τῶ(ν) Θρᾳκ[ησ]ίων
Obverse
Bust of St. Gregory dressed as a bishop, turned slightly to right with hands outstretched toward hand of God reaching out from a mandorla. Inscription in two columns: |γρ|-ο|ρ|ι|ο|σ : Ὁ ἅ(γιος) Γρηγόριος. Circular inscription along a border of dots:
+χεοθσR,τσδουλ,
Χ(ριστ)ὲ ὁ Θ(εὸ)ς β(οήθει) τῷ σῷ δούλ(ῳ)
Reverse
Inscription of six lines preceded and followed by a row of pellets. Border of dots.
···
+γρηγ,
ορ,Rˊαˊσπα
.Sκριτ,επι
...ποδ.ομˋ
..τθρακ
..ιν
···
Γρηγορίῳ β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπα[θ(αρίῳ)] (καὶ) κριτ(ῇ) ἐπὶ [τ(οῦ) Ἱπ]ποδ[ρ]όμ(ου) [καὶ] τῶ(ν) Θρᾳκ[ησ]ίων
| Accession number | BZS.1955.1.2762 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 23.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 3, no. 2.13. |
Translation
Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Γρηγορίῳ βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ κριτῇ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἱπποδρόμου καὶ τῶν Θρᾳκησίων.
Christ, the Lord, help your servant Gregory, imperial protospatharios and judge of the Hippodrome and of the Thrakesioi.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 3: West, Northwest, and Central Asia Minor and the Orient (Open in Zotero)
- Constantini Porphyrogeniti De cerimoniis aulae byzantinae (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Praetorians: An Administrative, Institutional, and Social Survey of the Opsikion and Tagmata, c. 580-900 (Open in Zotero)
- Theophanis Chronographia (Open in Zotero)
- L’histoire et la géographie de la région de Smyrne entre les deux occupations turques (1081-1317), particulièrement au XIIIe siècle (Open in Zotero)
- Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
- “Thrakien” und “Thrakesion” (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantinische Rang- und Ämterstruktur im 8. und 9. Jahrhundert: Faktoren und Tendenzen ihrer Entwicklung (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
The attitude in which St. Gregory is represented points to an identification as St. Gregory the miracle worker, the bishop of Neokaisareia (Syn. Eccl. CP, 229).
Note the superfluous abbreviation mark at the end of the first line of the obverse.