Barsakios imperial protospatharios and strategos of the Peloponnesos (ninth/tenth century)
Obverse
Bust of the Virgin with her hands held palm outward before her. Traces of a circular inscription along a border of dots.
..ΚΕ..ΗΘ.ΤΣΔ
Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ
Obverse
Bust of the Virgin with her hands held palm outward before her. Traces of a circular inscription along a border of dots.
..ΚΕ..ΗΘ.ΤΣΔ
Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ
Reverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
ΡΣ
ΚΙΟΣΠ
ΘΣΤΡΤ
ΙΓ,ΠΕΛΟΠ
ΟΝΙΣ
Βαρσακίο βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ στρατιγῷ Πελοπονίσου
Accession number | BZS.1958.106.2156 |
---|---|
Diameter | 24.0 mm; field: 20.0 mm |
Previous Editions | DO Seals 2, no. 22.22. |
Translation
Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Βαρσακίο βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ στρατιγῷ Πελοπονίσου.
Mother of God, help your servant Barsakios, imperial protospatharios and strategos of the Peloponnesos.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 2: South of the Balkans, the Islands, South of Asia Minor (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
- La Morée franque: Recherches historiques, topographiques et archéologiques sur la principauté d’Achaïe (1205-1430) (Open in Zotero)
- Die Skleroi: Eine prosopographisch-sigillographische Studie (Open in Zotero)
- Theophanis Chronographia (Open in Zotero)
- Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
- Realities of Byzantine Provincial Government: Hellas and Peloponnesos, 1180-1205 (Open in Zotero)
- Die byzantinische Armee im 10. und 11. Jahrhundert: Studien zur Organisation der Tagmata (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
The seal of Barsakios imperial protospatharios and strategos of the Peloponnesos, published by Zacos-Veglery, no. 2569a, appears to be at least fifty years earlier in date than the present specimen. Other 9th/10th century seals of strategoi named Barsakios are enumerated in DO Seals 2, 8.41, but these are decorated with the patriarchal cross.