Nikephoros (tenth/eleventh century)
Obverse
St Theodore standing, holding the martyr's cross before him in his right hand. Inscription on either side: ||ΓΘ|Ε||, : ὁ ἅγ(ιος) Θεώδ(ωρος). Along the circumference, a circular inscription beginning at seven o'clock. Border of dots.
̣ΤΡΙΣΜΡ̣ΤΕΥΜΕΝ,ΛΕΠ,
ὦ τρίσμ(α)ρτ(υς) εὐμέν(ως) βλέπ(ε)
Reverse
Inscription of five lines, a row of pellets below. Border of dots.
ΛΤ
ΡΗΝΜΕΤ
ΟΝΣΟΝΕΥ
ΤΕΛΗΝΙ
ΚΗ̣.ΟΡ̣
λάτρην τὸν σὸν εὐτελῆ Νικη[φ]όρ(ον)
Obverse
St Theodore standing, holding the martyr's cross before him in his right hand. Inscription on either side: ||ΓΘ|Ε||, : ὁ ἅγ(ιος) Θεώδ(ωρος). Along the circumference, a circular inscription beginning at seven o'clock. Border of dots.
̣ΤΡΙΣΜΡ̣ΤΕΥΜΕΝ,ΛΕΠ,
ὦ τρίσμ(α)ρτ(υς) εὐμέν(ως) βλέπ(ε)
Reverse
Inscription of five lines, a row of pellets below. Border of dots.
ΛΤ
ΡΗΝΜΕΤ
ΟΝΣΟΝΕΥ
ΤΕΛΗΝΙ
ΚΗ̣.ΟΡ̣
λάτρην τὸν σὸν εὐτελῆ Νικη[φ]όρ(ον)
| Accession number | BZS.1947.2.1627 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 22.0 mm; field: 17.0 mm |
Translation
ὦ τρίσμαρτυς εὐμένως βλέπε λάτρην τὸν σὸν εὐτελῆ Νικηφόρον.
O threefold martyr, look with favor on your servant, the humble Nikephoros.
Commentary
The reading of the obverse inscription poses a problem, specifically along the circumference at left. In his unpublished catalogue of the Shaw collection, Laurent transcribed the abbreviated word as τρίσμαρτυς which is a rare reading and not entirely satisfactory, although no alternative readily comes to mind. To make the obverse inscription a proper dodecasyllable, he proposed inserting Κυρίου after τρίσμαρτυς while admitting that this was pure conjecture on his part. It does have the virtue, however, of matching a dodecasyllable on the obverse with the one on the reverse.