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Christopher imperial spatharios and imperial notarios of the vestiarion (ninth/tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

A patriarchal cross mounted on a base of three steps. Along the circumference, within a border of dots, a circular inscription beginning with a cross at seven o'clock:

κεοηθητσδλ

Κ(ύρι)ε βοήθη τῷ σῷ δούλ(ῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of four lines beginning with a cross. Border of dots.

χριστ
οφ
σπαθ
νοττ
εστι

Χριστοφ(όρῳ) β(ασιλικῷ) σπαθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) β(ασιλικῷ) νοτ(αρίῳ) τοῦ βεστι(αρίου)

Obverse

A patriarchal cross mounted on a base of three steps. Along the circumference, within a border of dots, a circular inscription beginning with a cross at seven o'clock:

κεοηθητσδλ

Κ(ύρι)ε βοήθη τῷ σῷ δούλ(ῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of four lines beginning with a cross. Border of dots.

χριστ
οφ
σπαθ
νοττ
εστι

Χριστοφ(όρῳ) β(ασιλικῷ) σπαθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) β(ασιλικῷ) νοτ(αρίῳ) τοῦ βεστι(αρίου)

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.231
Diameter 29.0 mm; field: 25.0 mm
Previous Editions

Laurent, Corpus 2: no. 723a.

Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθη τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Χριστοφόρῳ βασιλικῷ σπαθαρίῳ καὶ βασιλικῷ νοταρίῳ τοῦ βεστιαρίου.

Lord, help your servant Christopher, imperial spatharios and imperial notarios of the vestiarion.

Commentary

This seal is nearly parallel to BZS.1958.106.2639, but the final word is abbreviated differently on the two specimens. Laurent argues that the seal of a Christopher hypatos, imperial vestitor, and imperial notarios of the vestiarion (BZS.1947.2.747) also belongs to the same individual as this specimen.