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Eusebios bishop of Gaza (sixth century)

 
 

Obverse

Inscription of two lines. Border of dots.

ΕΥΣΕ
ΒΙΟΥ

Εὐσεβίου

Reverse

Inscription of two lines with a pellet centered between the lines. Border of dots.

ΕΠΙΣΚ/
ΓΖΙΣ

ἐπισκόπου Γάζις

Obverse

Inscription of two lines. Border of dots.

ΕΥΣΕ
ΒΙΟΥ

Εὐσεβίου

Reverse

Inscription of two lines with a pellet centered between the lines. Border of dots.

ΕΠΙΣΚ/
ΓΖΙΣ

ἐπισκόπου Γάζις

Accession number BZS 1955.1.4642
Diameter 21.0 mm; field: 17.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 20.1; Laurent, Corpus 5.3: no. 2027 (sixth century); Zacos–Veglery, no. 803 (550–650). A similar, but not parallel, seal was found at Caesarea: Nesbitt, "Byzantine Lead Seals from the Area of the Governor's Palace," no. 8.

Translation

Εὐσεβίου ἐπισκόπου Γάζις.

(Seal of) Eusebios bishop of Gaza.

Commentary

One of the oldest inhabited sites in the world, Gaza (modern Gazzé) is located in southwestern Palestine. Its Christian beginnings are obscure, and the first bishop is attested in the early fourth century. Gaza was a flourishing center of trade during the sixth century, but declined after its capture by the Arabs in 635. See DHGE 20, cols. 154–76; ODB 2:825; list of bishops in Fedalto, HEO 2: 1021–23.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 5: The East (continued), Constantinople and Environs, Unknown Locations, Addenda, Uncertain Readings (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
  • Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques (Open in Zotero)
  • Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (Open in Zotero)
  • Hierarchia Ecclesiastica Orientalis: Series episcoporum ecclesiarum christianarum orientalium (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals from the Vicinity of the Governor’s Palace and Warehouses (CC and KK) (Open in Zotero)