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Sergios patrikios and strategos (eighth century)

 
 

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (type V); in the quarters: τω -  | λω - σ. Wreath border.

Θεότοκε βοήθει τῷ δοῦλῳ σοῦ

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, beginning and ending with a cross. Wreath border.

σρ
γιωπ
ωτρικΙω
στρτη
γω

Σεργίῳ πατρικίῳ καὶ στρατηγῷ

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (type V); in the quarters: τω -  | λω - σ. Wreath border.

Θεότοκε βοήθει τῷ δοῦλῳ σοῦ

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, beginning and ending with a cross. Wreath border.

σρ
γιωπ
ωτρικΙω
στρτη
γω

Σεργίῳ πατρικίῳ καὶ στρατηγῷ

Accession number BZS.1955.1.1150
Diameter 1.0 mm
Previous Editions

Cf. Zacos–Veglery, no. 2356

Translation

Θεότοκε βοήθει τῷ δοῦλῳ σοῦ Σεργίῳ πατρικίῳ καὶ στρατηγῷ.

Mother of God, help your servant Sergios patrikios and strategos.

Commentary

Zacos–Veglery identifies this seal type with a strategos of Sicily, but on the specimen catalogued under that number (BZS.1958.106.4745), the final line is clearly γω, not γσικ.

This type is possibly related to two other groups of seals. The first bears the same cruciform invocative monogram and the same reverse inscription, but with different line breaks (see, e.g., BZS.1955.1.1148; Zacos–Veglery, no. 2355a). The second group has a bilateral inscription, but the reverse inscription is very similar to the first group (see, e.g., BZS.1955.1.2103; Zacos–Veglery, no. 996a).

Bibliography