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N., anthypatos, patrikios, imperial protospatharios and strategos of the Thrakesioi (ninth/tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

Patriarchal cross on three steps; in the quarters: ι̅σ-..|νι-κα : Ἰ(η)σ(οῦ)ς [Χ(ρι)σ(τὸς)] νικᾷ. Circular inscription, beginning at 12 o'clock, between a double border of dots:

τσ.ουλ

[Κύριε βοήθει] τῷ σῷ [δ]ούλω

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Indeterminate border.

....
ανθυπ/πα
..R/α/σπαθ,
στρατ/τν
θρακισ /

.... ἀνθυπ(άτῳ), πα[τρ(ικίῳ)], β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπαθ(αρίῳ) [(καὶ)] στρατ(ηγῷ) τῶν Θρᾳκισ(ίων)

Obverse

Patriarchal cross on three steps; in the quarters: ι̅σ-..|νι-κα : Ἰ(η)σ(οῦ)ς [Χ(ρι)σ(τὸς)] νικᾷ. Circular inscription, beginning at 12 o'clock, between a double border of dots:

τσ.ουλ

[Κύριε βοήθει] τῷ σῷ [δ]ούλω

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Indeterminate border.

....
ανθυπ/πα
..R/α/σπαθ,
στρατ/τν
θρακισ /

.... ἀνθυπ(άτῳ), πα[τρ(ικίῳ)], β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπαθ(αρίῳ) [(καὶ)] στρατ(ηγῷ) τῶν Θρᾳκισ(ίων)

Accession number BZS.1958.106.1669
Diameter 28.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 3, no. 2.59.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλω .... ἀνθυπάτῳ, πατρικίῳ, βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ στρατηγῷ τῶν Θρᾳκισίων.

Lord, help your servant .... anthypatos, patrikios, imperial protospatharios and strategos of the Thrakesioi.

Commentary

The cross inscribed with the phrase Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς νικᾷ ("Jesus Christ triumphs") is rare but not unique (cf. Zacos, Seals ΙΙ, no. 183). The same motif appears in other works of art, of which we shall mention one closely contemporary example dated to ca. 879 shown in the miniatures of the cod. Paris. gr. 510 (displaying a simple rather than a patriarchal cross): H. Omont, Facsimilés des miniatures des plus anciencs manuscrits grecs de la Bibliothèque Nationale (Paris, 1902), pls. XVII, XVIII.

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)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
  • Fac-similés des manuscrits grecs datés de la Bibliothèque nationale, du IXe au XIVe siècle (Open in Zotero)