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N. imperial spatharios and doux of the Armeniakoi (eighth/ninth century)

 
 

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (indeterminate type); in the lower quarters: δ-λ. Wreath border.

Reverse

A partially preserved inscription. Wreath border.

β..
θ/Sδουκ
ηαρμε/

....ῳ β(ασιλικῷ) [σπα]θ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) δουκὴ Ἀρμε(νιακῶν)

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (indeterminate type); in the lower quarters: δ-λ. Wreath border.

Reverse

A partially preserved inscription. Wreath border.

β..
θ/Sδουκ
ηαρμε/

....ῳ β(ασιλικῷ) [σπα]θ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) δουκὴ Ἀρμε(νιακῶν)

Accession number BZS.1958.106.2768
Diameter 23.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 4, no. 22.12.

Translation

Κύριε or Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ ....ῳ βασιλικῷ σπαθαρίῳ καὶ δουκὴ Ἀρμενιακῶν.

Lord or Mother of God, help your servant ....os, imperial spatharios and doux of the Armeniakoi.

Commentary

The absence of the article τῶν would invite one to restore δουκὶ Ἀρμε(νίας), but this restoration can be discarded thanks to BZS.1947.2.45.
A doux of the Armeniakoi is not attested, as far as we know, in any other source. But it is not impossible that this official is the same as the doux of Chaldia, well known from texts and seals (Listes, 349; Zacos-Veglery, nos. 3088A, 3226A). This would mean though that both our specimens date before the elevation of Chaldia to the rank of theme, when this region still belonged to the Armeniakoi, which is not impossible. 

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
  • The Armeniac Theme and the Fate of Its Leaders (Open in Zotero)
  • Les sceaux byzantins de la Collection Henri Seyrig (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
  • De Thematibus (Open in Zotero)
  • Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (Open in Zotero)
  • Η Μικρά Ασία των θεμάτων. Ἐρευνες πάνω στην γεωγραφική φυσιογνωμία και προσωπογραφία των βυζαντινών θεμάτων της Μικράς Ασίας (Open in Zotero)
  • Istoriceskoe znacenie italo-greceskoj ikonopisi: Izobra zenija Bogomatera v prozvedenijah italo-greceskih ikonopiscev i ih vlijanie na kompozicii nekotoryh proslavlennyh russkih ikon (Open in Zotero)