Nicholas protospatharios, judge of the Hippodrome and Iberia (?) (eleventh century)
Obverse
Bust of St Nicholas. Inscription preserved at right: κ|ο|λ : [ὁ ἅ(γιος) Νι]κόλ(αος). Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of six lines beginning with a cross; last line missing. Border of dots.
νικο.
οσαΣπ.
κριτηεπι
τιˊ.
μτησι
Νικό[λα]ος (πρωτο)σπ[αθ(άριος), κριτὴ(ς) ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἱππ(ο)δ[ρ(ό)]μ(ου) (καὶ) τῆς Ἰ[βηρίας]
Obverse
Bust of St Nicholas. Inscription preserved at right: κ|ο|λ : [ὁ ἅ(γιος) Νι]κόλ(αος). Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of six lines beginning with a cross; last line missing. Border of dots.
νικο.
οσαΣπ.
κριτηεπι
τιˊ.
μτησι
Νικό[λα]ος (πρωτο)σπ[αθ(άριος), κριτὴ(ς) ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἱππ(ο)δ[ρ(ό)]μ(ου) (καὶ) τῆς Ἰ[βηρίας]
| Accession number | BZS.1947.2.654 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 30.0 mm |
| Condition | Broken horizontally; one third missing. |
Translation
Νικόλαος πρωτοσπαθάριος, κριτὴς ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἱπποδρόμου καὶ τῆς Ἰβηρίας.
Nicholas, protospatharios, judge of the Hippodrome and of Iberia.
Commentary
In his unpublished catalogue of the Shaw collection, Laurent suggested that the iota preserved at the end of the fifth line indicated that the owner exercised his legal duties in the theme of Iberia, a plausible reading which we present here.