George protospatharios, mystographos, judge of the Hippodrome and of Paphlagonia (tenth century)
Obverse
Overstruck with a small punch. To the lower right of the Virgin appears a small bust of a male above an exergual line and an inscription below: ΓΕ|ΡΓΙ : Γεωργί(ῳ). The whole appears within a rectangular matrix.
The Virgin standing to front; details unclear. Traces of a circular inscription along a border of dots: σδ..
σωδ..
[Θ(εοτό)κε βοήθει τῷ] σῲ δού[λῳ]
Reverse
Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.
γερ
για̅σπ,
μυστογρα,
κριτ,επ,τι
πποδρ,S
παφλ.
Γεωργίῳ (πρωτο)σπ(αθαρίῳ), μυστογρά(φῳ), κριτ(ῇ) ἐπ(ὶ) τ(οῦ) Ἱπποδρ(όμου) (καὶ) Παφλ[α(γονίας)]
Obverse
Overstruck with a small punch. To the lower right of the Virgin appears a small bust of a male above an exergual line and an inscription below: ΓΕ|ΡΓΙ : Γεωργί(ῳ). The whole appears within a rectangular matrix.
The Virgin standing to front; details unclear. Traces of a circular inscription along a border of dots: σδ..
σωδ..
[Θ(εοτό)κε βοήθει τῷ] σῲ δού[λῳ]
Reverse
Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.
γερ
για̅σπ,
μυστογρα,
κριτ,επ,τι
πποδρ,S
παφλ.
Γεωργίῳ (πρωτο)σπ(αθαρίῳ), μυστογρά(φῳ), κριτ(ῇ) ἐπ(ὶ) τ(οῦ) Ἱπποδρ(όμου) (καὶ) Παφλ[α(γονίας)]
| Accession number | BZS.1955.1.2757 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 29.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 4, no. 11.10. J. Nesbitt, "Overstruck Seals in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection: Reused or Counterstamped?" SBS 2 (1990) 85. |
Translation
Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῲ δούλῳ Γεωργίῳ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ, μυστογράφῳ, κριτῇ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἱπποδρόμου καὶ Παφλαγονίας.
Mother of God, help your servant George protospatharios, mystographos, judge of the Hippodrome and of Paphlagonia.
Bibliography
- Overstruck Seals in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection (Open in Zotero)
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantinische Bleisiegel in Berlin II (Open in Zotero)
- De Thematibus (Open in Zotero)
- Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (Open in Zotero)
- Paphlagonien und Honorias (Open in Zotero)
- Η Μικρά Ασία των θεμάτων. Ἐρευνες πάνω στην γεωγραφική φυσιογνωμία και προσωπογραφία των βυζαντινών θεμάτων της Μικράς Ασίας (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
The counter stamp on the obverse is very interesting and has been commented upon in detail by Nesbitt, loc. cit., 68-69. Its type is reminiscent of the silver stamps and also brings to mind the glass weights of the Eparch of the City. It is not impossible that the eparch, being a superior judge, confirmed a decision of the judge of Paphlagonia by counter stamping his seal.