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Kosmas stratelates and general kommerkiarios of First and Second Cappadocia (687/8)

 
 

Obverse

An emperor, no doubt Justinian II, standing frontally; details obscure. Indiction signs on either side: ι-α. Circular inscription within an incuse border, beginning at right:

κοσμστρτιλτSγενι..

Κοσμᾶ στρατιλάτου (καὶ) γενι[κοῦ]

Reverse

Inscription of seven lines. Incuse border.

κομ
μερκιρ
ιουποθ
ηκησˊS
Βˊκππ
δοκι
σ

κομμερκιαρίου ἀποθήκης αˊ (καὶ) βˊ Καππαδοκίας

Obverse

An emperor, no doubt Justinian II, standing frontally; details obscure. Indiction signs on either side: ι-α. Circular inscription within an incuse border, beginning at right:

κοσμστρτιλτSγενι..

Κοσμᾶ στρατιλάτου (καὶ) γενι[κοῦ]

Reverse

Inscription of seven lines. Incuse border.

κομ
μερκιρ
ιουποθ
ηκησˊS
Βˊκππ
δοκι
σ

κομμερκιαρίου ἀποθήκης αˊ (καὶ) βˊ Καππαδοκίας

Accession number BZS.1958.106.656
Diameter 34.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 43.7a.

Zacos-Veglery, no. 160.

Translation

Ἰνδικτιὼν αˊ.    Κοσμᾶ στρατιλάτου καὶ γενικοῦ κομμερκιαρίου ἀποθήκης αˊ καὶ βˊ Καππαδοκίας.

Indiction 1.      Kosmas, stratelates and general kommerkiarios of the First and Second Cappadocia.

Commentary

This seal and BZS.1958.106.671 represent two parts of the same seal; the reading combines the two separated halves.

The date and the identity of the emperor have been securely established by Zacos-Veglery thanks to the career of Kosmas. The same Kosmas exercised a second mandate over the two Cappadocias in 690/691. Another seal of the same person was published by J.-C. Cheynet in Spink Auction 127 (7 October 1998), no. 12.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
  • De Administrando Imperio (Open in Zotero)
  • Ermitažnye pečati Filareta Vrahamija (Open in Zotero)
  • Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
  • Kappadokien (Kappadokia, Charsianon, Sebasteia und Lykandos) (Open in Zotero)
  • Η Μικρά Ασία των θεμάτων. Ἐρευνες πάνω στην γεωγραφική φυσιογνωμία και προσωπογραφία των βυζαντινών θεμάτων της Μικράς Ασίας (Open in Zotero)