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John Spanopoulos, anthypatos, patrikios, vestes, notarios (?), judge (of the Velum and) of the Hippodrome and of Mesopotamia and anagrapheus (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Inscription of six lines, a decoration above. Border of dots.

–  –
+κεR,ηθ,
τσδλ
ι̅ανθυπˊτ
π̅ρ̅ι̅Rεσ,τν
ταρικρ
...η
–.–

Κ(ύρι)ε β(ο)ήθ(ει) τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Ἰω(άννῃ) ἀνθυπ(ά)τ(ῳ), π(ατ)ρι(κίῳ), βέστ(ῃ), ν[ο]ταρίῳ (?), κρ[(ι)τ(ῇ) τ(οῦ) β]ή[λ(ου)]

Reverse

Inscription of six lines, a decoration above. Border of dots.

–  –
.επιτ
.οδρομ,
.ησμεσοπο
.αμ,Sαν,γρα
.τσπαν
λ

[(καὶ)] ἐπὶ τοῦ [Ἱ]πποδρόμ(ου) [τ]ῆς Μεσοπο[τ]αμ(ίας) (καὶ) ἀν(α)γρα[φ(εῖ)] τῷ Σπαν[ο]πούλ(ῳ)

Obverse

Inscription of six lines, a decoration above. Border of dots.

–  –
+κεR,ηθ,
τσδλ
ι̅ανθυπˊτ
π̅ρ̅ι̅Rεσ,τν
ταρικρ
...η
–.–

Κ(ύρι)ε β(ο)ήθ(ει) τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Ἰω(άννῃ) ἀνθυπ(ά)τ(ῳ), π(ατ)ρι(κίῳ), βέστ(ῃ), ν[ο]ταρίῳ (?), κρ[(ι)τ(ῇ) τ(οῦ) β]ή[λ(ου)]

Reverse

Inscription of six lines, a decoration above. Border of dots.

–  –
.επιτ
.οδρομ,
.ησμεσοπο
.αμ,Sαν,γρα
.τσπαν
λ

[(καὶ)] ἐπὶ τοῦ [Ἱ]πποδρόμ(ου) [τ]ῆς Μεσοπο[τ]αμ(ίας) (καὶ) ἀν(α)γρα[φ(εῖ)] τῷ Σπαν[ο]πούλ(ῳ)

Accession number BZS.1955.1.3327
Diameter 29.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 4, no. 55.3.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Ἰωάννῃ ἀνθυπάτῳ, πατρικίῳ, βέστῃ, νοταρίῳ, κριτῇ τοῦ βήλου καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἱπποδρόμου τῆς Μεσοποταμίας καὶ ἀναγραφεῖ τῷ Σπανοπούλῳ.

Lord, help your servant John Spanoupoulos, anthypatos, patrikios, vestes, notarios, judge of the Velum and of the Hippodrome and of Mesopotamia, and anagrapheus.

Commentary

The restoration of lines 6 and 7 of the obverse is uncertain.

A seal of the same John Spanopoulos, struck when he was hypatos, patrikios, judge of the Hippodrome and Mesopotamia and anagrapheus, was published by Pancenko, Katalog, no. 216, cf. Seibt, Bleisiegel, 284, n. 5. It cannot be said with any certainty whether John Spanopoulos stayed in the same position for some time (and received the promotion to vestes and anthypatos — and acquired the office of notarios if our reading of the obverse is correct) or if he exercised two separate mandates in Mesopotamia, combining the duties of judge and of anagrapheus.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
  • De Thematibus (Open in Zotero)
  • De Administrando Imperio (Open in Zotero)
  • Constantini Porphyrogeniti De cerimoniis aulae byzantinae (Open in Zotero)
  • Überlegungen zur Vorgeschichte des Thema Mesopotamien (Open in Zotero)
  • Silk Trade and Production in Byzantium from the Sixth to the Ninth Century: The Seals of Kommerkiarioi (Open in Zotero)
  • Η Μικρά Ασία των θεμάτων. Ἐρευνες πάνω στην γεωγραφική φυσιογνωμία και προσωπογραφία των βυζαντινών θεμάτων της Μικράς Ασίας (Open in Zotero)
  • Molivdovuli na Damjan Dobromirduk na Trakija i Mesopotamija (Open in Zotero)
  • Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
  • Katalog molivdovulov (Open in Zotero)
  • Das byzantinische Bleisiegel als Kunstwerk: Katalog zur Ausstellung (Open in Zotero)