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Iezid, hypatos and imperial spatharios (eighth century, second half)

 
 

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (type V). In the quarters, the owner's name: Ισζιδ: Ἰσζίδ. Between concentric wreath borders, a circular inscription running right to left:

λμαικκτωνχθωνμου

Κύριε βοήθει Ἰσζὶδ

Ἐξελοῦ μαι, Κ(ύρι)ε, ἐκ τῶν ἐχθρων μου

Reverse

Inscription of four lines. Wreath border.

Υπατω
καιΒασι
λικωσπ
αθαριω

ὑπάτῳ καὶ βασιλικῷ σπαθαρίῳ

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (type V). In the quarters, the owner's name: Ισζιδ: Ἰσζίδ. Between concentric wreath borders, a circular inscription running right to left:

λμαικκτωνχθωνμου

Κύριε βοήθει Ἰσζὶδ

Ἐξελοῦ μαι, Κ(ύρι)ε, ἐκ τῶν ἐχθρων μου

Reverse

Inscription of four lines. Wreath border.

Υπατω
καιΒασι
λικωσπ
αθαριω

ὑπάτῳ καὶ βασιλικῷ σπαθαρίῳ

Accession number BZS.1958.106.4862
Diameter 32.0 mm; field: 18.0 mm
Condition Corroded and bent. The reading has been restored on the basis of the better preserved parallels cited in this entry.
Previous Editions

See Joe Glynias, "Prayerful Iconoclasts. Psalm Seals and Elite Formation in the First Iconoclast Era (726-750)," DOP 71 (2017), 85-86, no. 6g.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει Ἰσζὶδ ὑπάτῳ καὶ βασιλικῷ σπαθαρίῳ.

Ἐξελοῦ μαι, Κύριε, ἐκ τῶν ἐχθρων μου.

Lord, help Iezid, hypatos and imperial spatharios.

Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies.

Commentary

The seal contains a quotation from Psalm 142:9 on the reverse. This seal, and nos. 7, 8, 9, and 10 all represent the same individual, Yazīd (spelled in a variety of ways in Greek). A bilingual Greco-Arabic seal of the same individual is found in Jena: Heidemann and Sode, “Christlich-orientalische Bleisiegel” (n. 91 above), no. 1. For a discussion of the seals of this individual, see Zacos-Veglery, no. 1984; Brubaker and Haldon (Byzantium in the Iconoclast Era [n. 1 above], 611) discuss him because his seals so effectively show his career path.

It is possible that the C in the upper right of the obverse is the engraver's mistake for ε, in which case the owner's name should be given as Ἰεζίδ.

A number of specimens of this seal (see the parallels and related material) contain a retrograde circular inscription; while this may be an engraver’s error, it is quite possible that this may reflect the native Arabic language of the seal owner—as is evident not only from his name, but his unique bilingual seal.