Leo imperial spatharokandidatos and grand kourator of the house of the Mangana (ninth/tenth centuries)
Obverse
Cruciform monogram (indeterminate type); in the quarters: Τ..|Δ.. : τῷ [σῷ] δού[λῳ]. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.
ΟΝΤ/
ΘΡΟ
SΕΓ
ΡΤ/Τ/
Τ/
ΓΝ/
[Λέ]οντ(ι) [β(ασιλικῷ) σπα]θαρο[καν(διδάτῳ)] (καὶ) μεγ[άλ(ῳ) κ]ουράτ(ορι) τ(οῦ) [οἴκ]ου τ(ῶν) Μ[αγ]γάν(ων)
Obverse
Cruciform monogram (indeterminate type); in the quarters: Τ..|Δ.. : τῷ [σῷ] δού[λῳ]. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.
ΟΝΤ/
ΘΡΟ
SΕΓ
ΡΤ/Τ/
Τ/
ΓΝ/
[Λέ]οντ(ι) [β(ασιλικῷ) σπα]θαρο[καν(διδάτῳ)] (καὶ) μεγ[άλ(ῳ) κ]ουράτ(ορι) τ(οῦ) [οἴκ]ου τ(ῶν) Μ[αγ]γάν(ων)
| Accession number | BZS.1955.1.1027 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 21.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 5 no. 25.6. |
Translation
Κύριε or Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Λέοντι βασιλικῷ σπαθαροκανδιδάτῳ καὶ μεγάλῳ κουράτορι τοῦ οἴκου τῶν Μαγγάνων.
Lord or Mother of God, help your servant Leo imperial spatharokandidatos and grand kourator of the house of the Mangana.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 5: The East (continued), Constantinople and Environs, Unknown Locations, Addenda, Uncertain Readings (Open in Zotero)
- Sigillographie de l’Empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
- Βυζαντιακὰ μολυβδόβουλλα τοῦ ἐν ἈΘήναις Ἐθνικοῦ Νομισματικοῦ Μουσείου (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Schlumberger (Sig., 142) published a seal with a different obverse (a cross on steps), but a similar inscription on the reverse: Λέοντι (πρωτο)σπαθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) μεγάλ(ῳ) κουράτ(ορι) τ(οῦ) β(ασιλικοῦ) οἴκου τ(ῶν) Μαγγάν(ων). Konstantopoulos (n. 30) offers a better edition; here the first title is read as β(ασιλικῷ) σπαθ(αρίῳ). We should say that the second letter of the owner's name is not entirely clear. His name could be Theoktistos.