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The church of Seleukeia of Isauria (sixth/seventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Inscription of two lines. Wreath border.

ΓΙΣ
ΕΛˊ

Ἁγίας ἐκκλ(ησίας)

Reverse

Inscription of three lines. Indeterminate border.

ΣΕΛΕΥ.
ΙΣΥΡ
...

Σελευ[κ(ίας)] Ἰσαυρ[ίας].

Obverse

Inscription of two lines. Wreath border.

ΓΙΣ
ΕΛˊ

Ἁγίας ἐκκλ(ησίας)

Reverse

Inscription of three lines. Indeterminate border.

ΣΕΛΕΥ.
ΙΣΥΡ
...

Σελευ[κ(ίας)] Ἰσαυρ[ίας].

Accession number BZS.1947.2.187
Diameter 21.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 6.27; Laurent, Corpus 5.2, no. 1544 (listed by Laurent as Coll. Shaw, no. 1155).

Translation

Ἁγίας ἐκκλησίας Σελευκίας Ἰσαυρίας

(Seal of) the holy church of Seleukeia of Isauria.

Commentary

A seal with the same inscription, but from a different boulloterion, is published by Speck-Sode, Berlin II, no. 424.

The seal "of the church of Seleukeia of Isauria" is one of several bearing this type of anonymous inscription (see also BZS.1958.106.182, BZS.1951.31.5.1987, and BZS.1955.1.5052). In addition to these, see Oikonomides, "The Anonymous Seal," a seal "of the holy church of Emesa" (J.W. Nesbitt, "Byzantine Lead Seals from the Vicinity of the Governor's Palace and Warehouse," 2, no. 10), and another "of the church of Theoupolis" (Cheynet, Sceaux byzantins, no. 62). Oikonomides suggested that such seals were issued when the metropolitan was absent from his see or when the episcopal throne was vacant.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 5: The East (continued), Constantinople and Environs, Unknown Locations, Addenda, Uncertain Readings (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantinische Bleisiegel in Berlin II (Open in Zotero)
  • The Anonymous Seal (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals from the Vicinity of the Governor’s Palace and Warehouses (CC and KK) (Open in Zotero)
  • Sceaux byzantins des Musées d’Antioche et de Tarse (Open in Zotero)