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Eustathios imperial spatharios and domestikos of the Optimatoi (ninth century)

 
 

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (type V). In the quarters: ΤΣ|ΔΛ. Border of dots.

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of four lines followed by a row of pellets. Border of dots.

ΕΥΣΤΑΘ.
ΣΠΑΘΔΟ
ΜΕΣΤΙΚΤΝΟ
ΠΤΗΜΑΤ

Εὐσταθ[ί]ῳ β(ασιλικῷ) σπαθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) δομεστίκ(ῳ) τ(ῶ)ν Ὀπτημάτ(ων)

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (type V). In the quarters: ΤΣ|ΔΛ. Border of dots.

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of four lines followed by a row of pellets. Border of dots.

ΕΥΣΤΑΘ.
ΣΠΑΘΔΟ
ΜΕΣΤΙΚΤΝΟ
ΠΤΗΜΑΤ

Εὐσταθ[ί]ῳ β(ασιλικῷ) σπαθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) δομεστίκ(ῳ) τ(ῶ)ν Ὀπτημάτ(ων)

Accession number BZS.1958.106.1891
Diameter 28.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 3, no. 71.7.
Zacos-Veglery, no. 1898, cf. Seibt, in ByzSl 36 [1975] 211.

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Εὐσταθίῳ βασιλικῷ σπαθαρίῳ καὶ δομεστίκῳ τῶν Ὀπτημάτων.

Mother of God, help your servant Eustathios, imperial spatharios and domestikos of the Optimatoi.

Commentary

One is left with the impression that the obverse was engraved at a considerably earlier date than the reverse.

Bibliography

  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 3: West, Northwest, and Central Asia Minor and the Orient (Open in Zotero)
  • Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantinische Rang- und Ämterstruktur im 8. und 9. Jahrhundert: Faktoren und Tendenzen ihrer Entwicklung (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Praetorians: An Administrative, Institutional, and Social Survey of the Opsikion and Tagmata, c. 580-900 (Open in Zotero)
  • Die byzantinische Armee im 10. und 11. Jahrhundert: Studien zur Organisation der Tagmata (Open in Zotero)
  • Documents de sigillographie byzantine: La collection C. Orghidan (Open in Zotero)