George imperial protospatharios and archon of Chios (tenth century)
Obverse
Patriarchal cross on three steps with fleurons arising from base (up to first cross bar). Circular inscription between two borders of dots.
ΚΕΟΗΘΗΤΣΔΟΥΛ
Κύριε βοήθη τῷ σῷ δούλῳ
Reverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
ΓΕΟΡ
ΓΙΣΠ
ΘΡΡ
ΧΟΝΤΤ
ΣΧΙΟΥ
Γεοργίῳ βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ ἄρχοντι τῆς Χίου
Obverse
Patriarchal cross on three steps with fleurons arising from base (up to first cross bar). Circular inscription between two borders of dots.
ΚΕΟΗΘΗΤΣΔΟΥΛ
Κύριε βοήθη τῷ σῷ δούλῳ
Reverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
ΓΕΟΡ
ΓΙΣΠ
ΘΡΡ
ΧΟΝΤΤ
ΣΧΙΟΥ
Γεοργίῳ βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ ἄρχοντι τῆς Χίου
| Accession number | BZS.1958.106.4242 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 23.0 mm; field: 19.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 2, no. 41.2. |
Translation
Κύριε βοήθη τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Γεοργίῳ βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ ἄρχοντι τῆς Χίου.
Lord, help your servant George imperial protospatharios and archon of Chios.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, vol. 2: South of the Balkans, the Islands, south of Asia Minor
- Byzantine Lead Seals, vol. 2
- Sigillographie de l’Empire byzantin
- Documents de sigillographie byzantine: La collection C. Orghidan
- Les îles de l'empire byzantin
- Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles
- Byzantine Lead Seals, vol. 1
- Μελέται περὶ τῆς διοικητικῆς διαιρέσεως καὶ τῆς ἐπαρχιακῆς διοικήσεως ἐν τῷ Βυζαντινῷ κράτει
- Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin, vol. 5, L’Église
- Hierarchia Ecclesiastica Orientalis: Series episcoporum ecclesiarum christianarum orientalium
- The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
Commentary
We know of three more seals of archontes Chiou (Sig., 196: imperial kourator and archon; Laurent, Orghidan, no. 204; Zacos, Seals II, no. 154), which are earlier than or contemporary to the present specimens. Malamut (Iles, 300) discusses the problem and wonders why this archon is not mentioned in the Taktikon Uspenskij. In fact, exactly at the point where the archontes are mentioned, this taktikon may have a lacuna of some letters or of a whole line (Listes, 57) in which several more archontes might well have been mentioned. Thus we shall not insist on the silence of the taktikon Uspenskij. We suppose that these archontes must have been similar to the ones of Cyprus. The mention of a kourator in Chios invites one to think of an imperial domain on the island, perhaps connected to the oikoproasteion mentioned in the tale of the foundation of Nea Moni (MM V, 445-46).