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Theodosios bishop of Bareta (tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (type VIII); in the quarters: ΤΣ.|ΔΛ. Border of dots.

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σ δούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of four lines ending with six-rayed star. Border of dots.

ΘΕΟ
ΔΟΣΙΕ
ΠΙΣΚΑ
ΡΕΤ,

Θεοδοσίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ Βαρέτων

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (type VIII); in the quarters: ΤΣ.|ΔΛ. Border of dots.

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σ δούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of four lines ending with six-rayed star. Border of dots.

ΘΕΟ
ΔΟΣΙΕ
ΠΙΣΚΑ
ΡΕΤ,

Θεοδοσίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ Βαρέτων

Accession number BZS.1958.106.118
Diameter 21.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 3, no. 102.1.
Laurent, Corpus V/1, no. 285.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Θεοδοσίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ Βαρέτων.

Lord, help your servant Theodosios, bishop of Bareta.

Commentary

There are two bishoprics with the name Bareta: a suffragan of Ephesos of Asia whose site is not yet identified; and a suffragan of Ikonion of Lykaonia, which has been hesitantly identified with the ruins of Binbir kilise, ca. 30 km to the north of Laranda (Karaman). As the latter is spelled "Bareta" only in ancient notitiae, while in later ones the prevailing form is "Barata" (see Darrouzès, Notitiae, index, s.v.), one might tend to agree with Laurent (Corpus V/1, 201) and attribute the present specimen to the see of Asia. But the placename Βαρέτα is also attested as the seat of a military regiment (bandon) in the region where the themes of Anatolikon, Boukellarion, and Kappadokia met (De Adm. Imp., chap. 50, line 94). The question remains unsettled. See Laurent, Corpus V/1, 200; Zgusta, 115-16, 118; Galatien und Lykaonien, 138-43, 143.

Bibliography