George patrikios and Theophylaktos general kommerkiarioi of the apotheke of Lazike, Trapezous and Kerasous (692/3)
Obverse
Emperor Justinian II standing frontally, beardless, wearing a crown and chlamys and holding a globus cruciger in his right hand and a scepter cross in his left hand. Indiction signs on either side: -S. Circular inscription within a linear border, beginning at twelve o'clock:
γεωργιουπατρικ-ιSθεοφυλακτ..
Γεωργίου πατρικίου (καὶ) Θεοφυλάκτ[ου]
Obverse
Emperor Justinian II standing frontally, beardless, wearing a crown and chlamys and holding a globus cruciger in his right hand and a scepter cross in his left hand. Indiction signs on either side: -S. Circular inscription within a linear border, beginning at twelve o'clock:
γεωργιουπατρικ-ιSθεοφυλακτ..
Γεωργίου πατρικίου (καὶ) Θεοφυλάκτ[ου]
Reverse
Inscription of seven lines. Linear border.
γενικο
νκωμμερ
κιαριωναπο
θηκησλαζη
κηστραπεζ
ντονSκε
ρασντ
γενικον κωμμερκιαρίων ἀποθήκης Λαζηκῆς, Τραπεζοῦντον (καὶ) Κερασούντ(ων)
Accession number | BZS.1955.1.4373 |
---|---|
Diameter | 31.0 mm |
Previous Editions | DO Seals 4, no. 34.1. Zacos-Veglery, no. 179. |
Translation
Ἰνδικτιὼν ς᾽ Γεωργίου πατρικίου καὶ Θεοφυλάκτου γενικον κωμμερκιαρίων ἀποθήκης Λαζηκῆς, Τραπεζοῦντον καὶ Κερασούντων.
Indiction 6. (Seal of) George patrikios and Theophylaktos, general kommerkarioi of the apotheke of Lazike, Trapezous, and Kerasous.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
- Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (Open in Zotero)
- The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos (Open in Zotero)
- Eastern Turkey: An Architectural and Archaeological Survey (Open in Zotero)
- Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
- Hierarchia Ecclesiastica Orientalis: Series episcoporum ecclesiarum christianarum orientalium (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
- Silk Trade and Production in Byzantium from the Sixth to the Ninth Century: The Seals of Kommerkiarioi (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
The date of this seal is secured by the career of the owners (cf. Zacos-Veglery, 150, table 6/2). It is interesting to note that the two associates had farmed out the same apotheke for two years, 691-693, as attested by the seal Zacos-Veglery, no. 178. Our specimen was made after the end of the first year, and for this reason it mentions only the indiction corresponding to 692/3 (cf. Oikonomides, "Kommerkiarioi", 40).
Today Giresun, the port on the Black Sea coast, Kerasous was an economic center because it was also the end of the road leading to Koloneia. It was a suffragan bishopric of Neokaisareia from the fifth until the late eleventh century, when it became an independent metropolis. See ODB II, 1123; Bryer-Winfield, 126-34; Sinclair II, 111-115. Laurent, Corpus V/3, 87-88. List of prelates in Fedalto, HEO I, 70.