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Basil Xeros, vestarches and judge of the Peloponnesos and Hellas (eleventh century)

 
 
title

Obverse

St. Mark and St. Theodore (right) standing frontally, dressed in long robes and offering a blessing. St. Mark holds a book, St. Theodore a cross. Vertical inscriptions: |Μ|ΑΡ|ΚΟ|Σ; at right.: |ΘΕ|Ο|ΔΩ|Ρ,: Ὁ ἅγιος Μᾶρκος, Ὁ ἅγιος Θεόδωρος. Border of dots.

title

Reverse

Inscription of six lines preceded and followed by decoration. Border of dots.

 
ΘΚΕ,Θ,
ΑΣΙΛΕΙ
ΕΣΤΑΡΧ,
ΚΡΙΤ,ΠΕΛΟΠ
ΝΗΣΕΛΑ
Δ,ΤΞΗΡ,
 

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Βασιλείῳ βεστάρχῃ καὶ κριτῇ Πελοποννήσου καὶ Ἑλάδος τῷ Ξερῷ

Obverse

St. Mark and St. Theodore (right) standing frontally, dressed in long robes and offering a blessing. St. Mark holds a book, St. Theodore a cross. Vertical inscriptions: |Μ|ΑΡ|ΚΟ|Σ; at right.: |ΘΕ|Ο|ΔΩ|Ρ,: Ὁ ἅγιος Μᾶρκος, Ὁ ἅγιος Θεόδωρος. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines preceded and followed by decoration. Border of dots.

 
ΘΚΕ,Θ,
ΑΣΙΛΕΙ
ΕΣΤΑΡΧ,
ΚΡΙΤ,ΠΕΛΟΠ
ΝΗΣΕΛΑ
Δ,ΤΞΗΡ,
 

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Βασιλείῳ βεστάρχῃ καὶ κριτῇ Πελοποννήσου καὶ Ἑλάδος τῷ Ξερῷ

Accession number BZS.1955.1.3408
Diameter 33.0 mm; field: 28.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 2, no. 8.19b.
Cf. a seal likely from the same boulloterion, Mordtmann, RA 1877/2, 50, no. 25 (=Sig., 189, note 4, no. 7).

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Βασιλείῳ βεστάρχῃ καὶ κριτῇ Πελοποννήσου καὶ Ἑλάδος τῷ Ξερῷ.

Mother of God, help Basil Xeros, vestarches and judge of the Peloponnesos and Hellas.

Commentary

The reading of this seal is based on the edition of its better preserved counterpart from the same boulloterion: BZS 1955.1.3407.

On Basil's cursus honorum, see DO Seals 2, no. 8.16 (BZS.1947.2.135).

Bibliography

Parallel Seals