Adrianos imperial spatharokandidatos and tourmarches of Preslav (tenth century)
Obverse
Patriarchal cross on three steps. Circular inscription along double border of dots.
ΚΕΟΗΘΗΤΣΔΟΥΛ,
Κ(ύρι)ε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλ(ῳ)
Obverse
Patriarchal cross on three steps. Circular inscription along double border of dots.
ΚΕΟΗΘΗΤΣΔΟΥΛ,
Κ(ύρι)ε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλ(ῳ)
Reverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
ΔΡΗ
ΝˊΣΠ
Θ,ΚΝΔˋ
ΤΡΜΡΧˊ
ΠΕΡΣ
Ἀδρηαν(ῷ) β(ασιλικῷ) σπαθ(αρο)κανδ(ιδάτῳ) (καὶ) τουρμάρχ(ῃ) Περσ(λ)άβ(ας)
Accession number | BZS.1947.2.136 |
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Diameter | 20.0 mm; field: 15.0 mm |
Previous Editions | DO Seals 1, no. 69.2. Laurent, Recueil, 286, where the geographical designation is incorrectly read as Πέρσας. |
Translation
Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Ἀδρηανῷ βασιλικῷ σπαθαροκανδιδάτῳ καὶ τουρμάρχῃ Περσλάβας.
Lord, help your servant Adrianos, imperial spatharokandidatos and tourmarches of Preslav.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 1: Italy, North of the Balkans, North of the Black Sea (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Engraving of poor quality, but the only doubtful letter is in line 5 of the reverse; it appears to be Α but could be Λ. For the form ΠΕΡ- instead of ΠΡΕ-, see, for example, two seals published by I. Jordanov, "La stratégie de Preslav," nos. 7-8. We know that Preslav was renamed Ioannoupolis after the Byzantines captured it in 971, but the present seal, as well as some others found in Preslav itself (I. Jordanov and V. Tŭpkova-Zaimova, "Quelques nouvelles données sur l'administration byzantine au Bas-Danube [Xe-XIe s.]," Géographie historique du monde méditerranéen [Paris, 1988] 119), would suggest that this renaming did not take place immediately.