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Leo Hexakionites, protonotarios of the Armenian themes (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Inscription of four lines. Border of dots.

.κ̅εR̅,θ,
τσδ
λ,λεοντ
νοτ

Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)θ(ει) τῷ σῷ δούλ(ῳ) Λέοντ(ι) (πρωτο)νοτ(αρίῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

τον
μενικ,
εμτ,τ
κιονι
.η-

τον Ἀ[ρ]μενικ(ῶν) [θ]εμάτ(ων) τῷ [(Ἑξα)]κιονί[τ]ῃ

Obverse

Inscription of four lines. Border of dots.

.κ̅εR̅,θ,
τσδ
λ,λεοντ
νοτ

Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)θ(ει) τῷ σῷ δούλ(ῳ) Λέοντ(ι) (πρωτο)νοτ(αρίῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

τον
μενικ,
εμτ,τ
κιονι
.η-

τον Ἀ[ρ]μενικ(ῶν) [θ]εμάτ(ων) τῷ [(Ἑξα)]κιονί[τ]ῃ

Accession number BZS.1958.106.3892
Diameter 19.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 4, no. 56.14. See also Seibt, "Ἀρμενικὰ θέματα", 137, no. 24.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Λέοντι πρωτονοταρίῳ τον Ἀρμενικῶν θεμάτων τῷ Ἑξακιονίτῃ.

Lord, help your servant Leo Hexakionites, protonotarios of the Armenian themes.

Commentary

This is certainly the same person as Leo Hexakionites, protonotarios of the Opsikion, BZS.1955.1.3303, BZS.1955.1.3304, and BZS.1958.106.1921, cf. Seyrig, no. 190; this becomes obvious when one realizes that the obverse of the present specimen is practically identical to BZS.1958.106.1921, to the point that one has to admit that Leo, after his mandate to the Armenian themes, was appointed to the Opsikion and kept the obverse of his old boulloterion while he replaced the reverse in order to fit his new situation. Later, while still in Opsikion, he had other boulloteria made, all precise copies of the first one but influenced by fashion: thus our specimen and BZS.1958.106.1921 have the regular  while BZS.1955.1.3304 as well as the Seyrig specimen display the horseshoe , which prevails in sigillography from 1032 onwards (Dated Seals, 163). This must have been the time when Leo Hexakionites was active as protonotarios, first in the Armenian themes, then in the Opsikion. It is not improbable that he later obtained the title of spatharokandidatos and exercised a mandate (of judge or of protonotarios?) in Chaldia and Derzene.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
  • Die byzantinische Armee im 10. und 11. Jahrhundert: Studien zur Organisation der Tagmata (Open in Zotero)
  • Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
  • L’organisation de la frontière orientale de Byzance aux Xe-XIe siècles et Le Taktikon de l’Escorial (Open in Zotero)
  • Ἀρμενικὰ Θέματα als terminus technicus der byzantinischen Verwaltungsgeschichte des 11. Jahrhunderts (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
  • The Land Legislation of the Macedonian Emperors (Open in Zotero)
  • 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)
  • Les sceaux byzantins de la Collection Henri Seyrig (Open in Zotero)