Stephanos Stemnitziotes (?), imperial protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou and epoptes of the theme of the Thrakesioi (tenth/eleventh century)
Obverse
Inscription of five lines, a floral decoration above. No visible border.
+κεRο
θει..δ
.υλστεφ
α.Rˋαˋσπ
πιτ,χ
Κ(ύρι)ε βο[ή]θει [τ]ῷ [σ]ῷ δ[ο]ύλῳ Στεφά[ν(ῳ)] β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπ[α(θαρίῳ) ἐ]πὶ τ(οῦ) Χ[ρ(υσοτρικλίνου) (καὶ)]
Reverse
Inscription of five lines, a floral decoration above. Border of dots.
ποπτη
.εματοσ
νθρακ.σ
.στεμ..
οτ.
[ἐ]πόπτῃ [τ(οῦ) θ]έματος [τ]ῶν Θρᾳκ[η]σ(ίων) [τῷ] στεμ...οτ
Obverse
Inscription of five lines, a floral decoration above. No visible border.
+κεRο
θει..δ
.υλστεφ
α.Rˋαˋσπ
πιτ,χ
Κ(ύρι)ε βο[ή]θει [τ]ῷ [σ]ῷ δ[ο]ύλῳ Στεφά[ν(ῳ)] β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπ[α(θαρίῳ) ἐ]πὶ τ(οῦ) Χ[ρ(υσοτρικλίνου) (καὶ)]
Reverse
Inscription of five lines, a floral decoration above. Border of dots.
ποπτη
.εματοσ
νθρακ.σ
.στεμ..
οτ.
[ἐ]πόπτῃ [τ(οῦ) θ]έματος [τ]ῶν Θρᾳκ[η]σ(ίων) [τῷ] στεμ...οτ
| Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.383 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 24.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 3, no. 2.10. |
| Credit Line | Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore. |
Translation
Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Στεφάνῳ βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ ἐπὶ τοῦ Χρυσοτρικλίνου καὶ ἐπόπτῃ τοῦ θέματος τῶν Θρᾳκησίων τῷ Στεμ...οτ
Lord, help your servant Stephanos Stemnitziotes (?), imperial protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou and epoptes of the theme of the Thrakesioi.
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
- Constantini Porphyrogeniti De cerimoniis aulae byzantinae
- Byzantine Praetorians: An Administrative, Institutional, and Social Survey of the Opsikion and Tagmata, c. 580-900
- Theophanis Chronographia
- L'histoire et la géographie de la région de Smyrne entre les deux occupations turques (1081-1317), particulièrement au XIIIe siècle
- Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles
- "Thrakien" und "Thrakesion,"
- Byzantinische Rang- und Ämterstruktur im 8. und 9. Jahrhundert: Faktoren und Tendenzen ihrer Entwicklung
- Litterae Numismaticae Vindobonenses R. Goebl dedicatae
Commentary
The reading of the family name is difficult. As there is a clear abbreviation sign after θρακησ, on line 3, we may assume that two letters are missing at the beginning of line 4, likely the definite article τῷ. Then comes a very questionable σ, a secure τ, an ε or ο, an μ or ν or κ; on line 5, the top of a round letter can be seen (ο or θ) and the clear top of a τ : Στεμ[νιτζι]ότ[ης]: possible, but by no means certain.