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Theodore Doukas (proto?)sebastos and protostrator (twelfth century, first half)

 
 

Obverse

St Theodore standing, holding a spear and shield. Sigla on either side: |θε|ο|ρο|οσ : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Θεόδωρο{ο}ς. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, a cross above. Border of dots.


σφραγισ
σσεαου
θεορρου̣
.Αρατορος
τουουκα̣

σφραγὶς {σ}σεβαστοῦ Θεωδό{ρῳ}ρου [(καὶ)] (πρωτο)στράτορος τοῦ Δούκα

Obverse

St Theodore standing, holding a spear and shield. Sigla on either side: |θε|ο|ρο|οσ : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Θεόδωρο{ο}ς. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, a cross above. Border of dots.


σφραγισ
σσεαου
θεορρου̣
.Αρατορος
τουουκα̣

σφραγὶς {σ}σεβαστοῦ Θεωδό{ρῳ}ρου [(καὶ)] (πρωτο)στράτορος τοῦ Δούκα

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.575
Diameter 28.0 mm
Previous Editions

Cf. Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden II, no. 2815.

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

Translation

σφραγὶς σεβαστοῦ Θεωδόρου καὶ πρωτοστράτορος τοῦ Δούκα.

Seal of Theodore Doukas, sebastos and protostrator.

Commentary

This inscription is remarkable for the number of superfluous letters which show the engraver's attempt to rectify his mistakes. It would appear that the first sigma in the second line of the reverse is a mistake for alpha (here the abbreviation for proto-) which should have preceded the title of sebastos.

Wassiliou-Seibt includes this inscription in her corpus on the reasoning that it originally ran σφραγὶς σεβαστοῦ Θεοδώρου τοῦ Δούκα but was then rendered prosaic by the insertion of the owner's office.

Bibliography

  • Corpus der byzantinischen Siegel mit metrischen Legenden, Vol. 2, Siegellegenden von Ny bis inklusive Sphragis (Open in Zotero)