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Leo bishop of Leontopolis (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin orans with a medallion of Christ before her. No visible epigraphy or border.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines. No visible border.

σδ
λεοντιε
σκοπ,λε
ντοπο
λεοσ

[Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)θ(ει) τ]ῷ σῷ δού[λ(ῳ)] Λέοντι ἐ[πι]σκόπ(ῳ) Λε[ο]ντοπόλεος

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin orans with a medallion of Christ before her. No visible epigraphy or border.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines. No visible border.

σδ
λεοντιε
σκοπ,λε
ντοπο
λεοσ

[Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)θ(ει) τ]ῷ σῷ δού[λ(ῳ)] Λέοντι ἐ[πι]σκόπ(ῳ) Λε[ο]ντοπόλεος

Accession number BZS.1958.106.302
Diameter 18.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 4, no. 28.1.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Λέοντι ἐπισκόπῳ Λεοντοπόλεος.

Lord, help your servant Leo, bishop of Leontopolis.

Commentary

Today Alaçam, near the Black Sea coast between Samsun and Sinop. Also known as Zalichos or Zalekon, Leontopolis is first mentioned as a suffragan bishopric of Amaseia in the sixth century and, although declining, survived until the thirteenth. Laurent, Corpus V/1, 312; Bryer-Winfield, 89-90; Mikra Asia them., 148. List of bishops in Fedalto, HEO I, 83-84, to which Leo should be added.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos (Open in Zotero)
  • Η Μικρά Ασία των θεμάτων. Ἐρευνες πάνω στην γεωγραφική φυσιογνωμία και προσωπογραφία των βυζαντινών θεμάτων της Μικράς Ασίας (Open in Zotero)
  • Hierarchia Ecclesiastica Orientalis: Series episcoporum ecclesiarum christianarum orientalium (Open in Zotero)