Skip to Content

Leo dioiketes of Rhyndakos (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin with both hands raised before her. The sigla: ̅ΘΥ̅ : Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Tongues of fire above. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

ΘΚ̅Ε
ˋΛΕΟΝΤ,
ΔΙΟΙΚΗ
Τ,ΡΥΝΔΑ
Κ

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οήθει) Λέοντ(ι) διοικητ(ῇ) Ῥυνδάκου

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin with both hands raised before her. The sigla: ̅ΘΥ̅ : Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Tongues of fire above. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

ΘΚ̅Ε
ˋΛΕΟΝΤ,
ΔΙΟΙΚΗ
Τ,ΡΥΝΔΑ
Κ

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οήθει) Λέοντ(ι) διοικητ(ῇ) Ῥυνδάκου

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.1977
Diameter 23.0 mm; field: 16.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 3, no. 69.1.

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Λέοντι διοικητῇ Ῥυνδάκου.

Mother of God, help Leo, dioiketes of Rhyndakos.

Commentary

We know of several seals of dioiketai (tax collectors) whose authority is defined by the name of a theme or of an important city, such as Adrianoupolis, Hexamilion, Raidestos, Mytilene, Stauroupolis (DOSeals 1.44.6, 1.54.1, 1.59.2-4, 2.51.1-2, 2.66.1-2). Thus we assume that Leo was dioiketes of the city of Rhyndakos despite the fact that this city is so poorly attested in the sources.

Rhyndakos is the name of the river Orhaneli, but it was also the name of a city situated "between Phrygia and Hellespont" according to Stephanus Byzantius and close to the river according to Choniates, 37. See RE 2. Reihe, 1 (1920) 1286-87.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 3: West, Northwest, and Central Asia Minor and the Orient (Open in Zotero)