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Ampelios imperial spatharokandidatos and protonotarios of the Thrakesioi (tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

Patriarchal cross on four steps. Circular inscription along the circumference, between two borders of dots:

+κεRοηθητωσωδουλω

Κ(ύρι)ε βοήθη τῷ σῷ δούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of five lines preceded by a row of dots. Border of dots.

· · ·
+αμπε
λιωR,σπαθ,
Sκανδ,α,νο
ταρ,θρακι
σιων

Ἀμπελίῳ β(ασιλικῷ) σπαθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) κανδ(ιδάτῳ), (πρωτο)νοταρ(ίῳ) Θρᾳκισίων

Obverse

Patriarchal cross on four steps. Circular inscription along the circumference, between two borders of dots:

+κεRοηθητωσωδουλω

Κ(ύρι)ε βοήθη τῷ σῷ δούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of five lines preceded by a row of dots. Border of dots.

· · ·
+αμπε
λιωR,σπαθ,
Sκανδ,α,νο
ταρ,θρακι
σιων

Ἀμπελίῳ β(ασιλικῷ) σπαθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) κανδ(ιδάτῳ), (πρωτο)νοταρ(ίῳ) Θρᾳκισίων

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.580
Diameter 23.0 mm; field: 19.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 3, no. 2.34.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθη τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Ἀμπελίῳ βασιλικῷ σπαθαρίῳ καὶ κανδιδάτῳ, πρωτονοταρίῳ Θρᾳκισίων.

Lord, help your servant Ampelios, imperial spatharokandidatos and protonotarios of the Thrakesioi.

Commentary

Note an interesting mistake: the conjunction καί is placed between σπαθαρίῳ and κανδιδάτῳ (which would be expected to form one title, σπαθαροκανδιδάτῳ, attested from the early ninth century, cf. Listes, 297) and not before the office of protonotarios, where it is expected to be. Does this reveal the engraver's ignorance of these titles?

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)
  • Constantini Porphyrogeniti De cerimoniis aulae byzantinae (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Praetorians: An Administrative, Institutional, and Social Survey of the Opsikion and Tagmata, c. 580-900 (Open in Zotero)
  • Theophanis Chronographia (Open in Zotero)
  • L’histoire et la géographie de la région de Smyrne entre les deux occupations turques (1081-1317), particulièrement au XIIIe siècle (Open in Zotero)
  • Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
  • “Thrakien” und “Thrakesion” (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantinische Rang- und Ämterstruktur im 8. und 9. Jahrhundert: Faktoren und Tendenzen ihrer Entwicklung (Open in Zotero)