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John metropolitan of Ainos (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin with both hands raised before her. Sigla: ΘΥ̅ : Μήτηρ Θεοῦ. Traces of circular inscription. Border of dots.

ΘΚΕΟΗΘΕΙΤ..ΔΛ

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, the final letter between bars. Border of dots.

.
ΜΙΤΡΟ
ΠΟΛΙΤΗ
ΤΗΣΕΝ

ωάννῃ μιτροπολίτῃ τῆς Ἔνου

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin with both hands raised before her. Sigla: ΘΥ̅ : Μήτηρ Θεοῦ. Traces of circular inscription. Border of dots.

ΘΚΕΟΗΘΕΙΤ..ΔΛ

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, the final letter between bars. Border of dots.

.
ΜΙΤΡΟ
ΠΟΛΙΤΗ
ΤΗΣΕΝ

ωάννῃ μιτροπολίτῃ τῆς Ἔνου

Accession number BZS.1955.1.4811
Diameter 22.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 1, no. 45.3.
Laurent, Corpus V/3, no. 2023. Laurent incorrectly read the final two lines (rev.) as Ἐμισενῷ and listed the seal under the metropolitan see of Emesa.

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Ἰωάννῃ μιτροπολίτῃ τῆς Ἔνου.

Theotokos, help your servant John metropolitan of Ainos.

Commentary

The present specimen is very similar to that published by Zacos, Seals II, no. 511; it could have belonged to the same owner at a later date, because in the meantime John had obtained the title of synkellos.

Bibliography