Aetios protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou and strategos of Thessalonike (tenth century)
Obverse
Bust of St. Symeon, who holds an abbatial cane in both hands. Inscription identifying the saint at his left: Σ|Υ|ΜΕ|Ο|Ν: [ὁ ἅγιος] Σύμεον. A circular invocative inscription, ending in a star decoration, between a double border of dots.
τσουλ
. . . τῷ σῷ δούλῳ
Reverse
Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.
ετι
ˊˊσπθ
τ,χρυσο
ληνˊκˊστ
γοθεσ
νικη
Ἀετί[ῳ] β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπαθ[αρ(ίῳ)] τ(οῦ) Χρυσοτ[ρικ]λήν(οῦ) κ(αὶ) στ[ρατη]γο Θεσ[σαλο]νίκη[ς]
Obverse
Bust of St. Symeon, who holds an abbatial cane in both hands. Inscription identifying the saint at his left: Σ|Υ|ΜΕ|Ο|Ν: [ὁ ἅγιος] Σύμεον. A circular invocative inscription, ending in a star decoration, between a double border of dots.
τσουλ
. . . τῷ σῷ δούλῳ
Reverse
Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.
ετι
ˊˊσπθ
τ,χρυσο
ληνˊκˊστ
γοθεσ
νικη
Ἀετί[ῳ] β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπαθ[αρ(ίῳ)] τ(οῦ) Χρυσοτ[ρικ]λήν(οῦ) κ(αὶ) στ[ρατη]γο Θεσ[σαλο]νίκη[ς]
| Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.1100 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 26.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | Laurent, Corpus 2, no. 547 (eleventh century). PBW: Aetios 20103 (boulloterion 2370). |
Translation
Κύριε or Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Ἀετίῳ βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ τοῦ Χρυσοτρικλήνοῦ καὶ στρατηγο Θεσσαλονίκης.
Lord or Mother of God, help your servant Aetios imperial protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou and strategos of Thessalonike.
Bibliography
- Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Laurent identified the owner of this seal as a logothetes of the stratiotikon, with the fourth and fifth lines resolved as: κ(αὶ) στ[ρ(ατιωτικοῦ) λο]γοθεσ[ίου τῷ]. He identified the final line as the first part of a surname, either Νικηφορίτζης or Νικερίτης. As a result, this seal was not published in the Dumbarton Oaks catalogue of seals relating to Thessalonike.