John Tzirithon, spatharokandidatos, imperial notarios of the eidikos logos and protonotarios of the Anatolikoi (eleventh century)
Obverse
Bust of St. Theodore holding a spear and a round shield decorated with a circle of pellets. Vertical inscription: |.Ε|.Δ.|. : Ὁ ἅ(γιος) [Θ]ε[ό]δ[ωρος]. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of seven lines. Border of dots.
+Ι̅ΣΠΑ
ΘΑΡ,ΚΑΝ,
.ΝΟΤ,ΤΗΔ,
.ΟΓ,ΑΝΟ
Τ,ΤΟΝΑΝ.
Τ,ΟΤΙΡΙ
Θ,
Ἰωάννης σπαθαροκανδιδᾶτος, βασιλικὸς νοτάριος τοῦ ἠδικοῦ λόγου καὶ πρωτονοτάριος τον Ἀνατολικῶν ὁ Τζιρίθων
Obverse
Bust of St. Theodore holding a spear and a round shield decorated with a circle of pellets. Vertical inscription: |.Ε|.Δ.|. : Ὁ ἅ(γιος) [Θ]ε[ό]δ[ωρος]. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of seven lines. Border of dots.
+Ι̅ΣΠΑ
ΘΑΡ,ΚΑΝ,
.ΝΟΤ,ΤΗΔ,
.ΟΓ,ΑΝΟ
Τ,ΤΟΝΑΝ.
Τ,ΟΤΙΡΙ
Θ,
Ἰωάννης σπαθαροκανδιδᾶτος, βασιλικὸς νοτάριος τοῦ ἠδικοῦ λόγου καὶ πρωτονοτάριος τον Ἀνατολικῶν ὁ Τζιρίθων
| Accession number | BZS.1955.1.3380 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 25.0 mm; field: 21.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 3, no. 86.40. |
Translation
Ἰωάννης σπαθαροκανδιδᾶτος, βασιλικὸς νοτάριος τοῦ ἠδικοῦ λόγου καὶ πρωτονοτάριος τον Ἀνατολικῶν ὁ Τζιρίθων.
John spatharokandidatos, imperial notarios of the eidikos logos and protonotarios of the Anatolikoi.
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)
- Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
- Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
- Documents de sigillographie byzantine: La collection C. Orghidan (Open in Zotero)
- Sceaux byzantins du Musée National de Varsovie (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantinische Rang- und Ämterstruktur im 8. und 9. Jahrhundert: Faktoren und Tendenzen ihrer Entwicklung (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
John Tzirithon was a spatharokandidatos who received an annual salary of 36 nomismata (Lemerle, Roga, 94). He was also a permanent imperial notarios of the eidikon (Listes, 122, line 7), which he obtained upon investing a considerable amount of money (Cer., 964, line 17). This position gave him a certain (and no doubt substantial) revenue either through a representative or because he was entitled to his cut even in absentia. At the same time, he had obtained the provincial mandate of protonotarios from the imperial sakelle (Listes, 121, line 6) with regard to tax collection which was no doubt was very lucrative for him. This is a clear example of how one could make a fortune by investing in the state.