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Homer (?) auletikos (?) (sixth/seventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Cruciform monogram. Wreath border.

ΗΜΟΡΥ

Ὁμήρου (?)

Reverse

Monogram with letters to left and right forming the shape of a cruciform. Wreath border.

ΗΙΚΛΤ

αὐλητικοῦ (?)

Obverse

Cruciform monogram. Wreath border.

ΗΜΟΡΥ

Ὁμήρου (?)

Reverse

Monogram with letters to left and right forming the shape of a cruciform. Wreath border.

ΗΙΚΛΤ

αὐλητικοῦ (?)

Accession number BZS.1955.1.150
Diameter 20.0 mm

Translation

Ὁμήρου (?) αὐλητικοῦ (?).

(Seal of) Homer (?) auletikos (?).

Commentary

This is an odd seal, and its reading is very uncertain. The name Homer is abnormal. Moreover, the reverse monogram is not a normal cruciform, but a vertical stick disconnected from two letters in fields to the l. and r. Finally, if all the letters in this reverse monogram are taken as part of the same whole, it resolves to αὐλητικοῦ, an abnormal title of sorts, meaning αὐλός-player; it is attested as well by Fink in his dissertation, Das byzantinische Monogramm, p(s). 107 and 205.