Anthes imperial spatharios and tourmarches of Adramyttion (eighth/ninth century)
Obverse
Cruciform invocative monogram (type V). In the quarters: τ-σ|ου-λ. Wreath border.
Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ
Reverse
Inscription of five lines. Wreath border.
+νθη
β/σπθ/S
τουρμρχˊ
δρμυ
τι/
Ἄνθῃ β(ασιλικῷ) σπαθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) τουρμάρχ(ῃ) Ἀδραμυτί(ου).
Obverse
Cruciform invocative monogram (type V). In the quarters: τ-σ|ου-λ. Wreath border.
Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ
Reverse
Inscription of five lines. Wreath border.
+νθη
β/σπθ/S
τουρμρχˊ
δρμυ
τι/
Ἄνθῃ β(ασιλικῷ) σπαθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) τουρμάρχ(ῃ) Ἀδραμυτί(ου).
| Accession number | BZS.1958.106.3023 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 30.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 3, no. 3.2. Zacos-Veglery, no. 1722. |
Translation
Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Ἄνθῃ βασιλικῷ σπαθαρίῳ καὶ τουρμάρχῃ Ἀδραμυτίου.
Mother of God, help your servant Anthes, imperial spatharios and tourmarches of Adramyttion.
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)
- De Thematibus (Open in Zotero)
- Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
- Les évêchés suffragants d’Ephèse aux 5e-13e siècles (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
The present seal is almost certainly earlier than the appointment of strategioi of Samos and the Aigaion Pelagos. We may therefore conclude that either Anthes was a cavalry tourmarches under the command of the strategos of the Thrakesioi or a tourmarches under the command of a droungarios – but we know of no parallel case. Alternatively, he may have been subordinate to the eighth-century strategos of Samos (DO Seals 2, no. 44.10).
Adramyttion or Atramyttion (modern Edremit) was an important naval base, part of the Thrakesion; after the creation of the theme of Samos, between 843 and 899, Adramyttion with the littoral became the seat of one of its tourmai (De Them., chap. XVI, line 15) while the interior belonged to the strategos of the Thrakesion, who also had, at least in the ninth century, a tourmarches at Adramyttion. The see, a suffragan of Ephesos, was first attested in 431 and appears in all the notitiae.See Laurent, Corpus V/1, 190; Culerrier, Suffragants d'Ephèse, 153 (episcopal list); ODB I, 227.