John Triakontaphyllos protoproedros and praitor of Bulgaria (eleventh century)
Obverse
Military saint standing frontally, holding spear and scabbard. Inscription at left: : Ὁ ἅγιος. This must be St. Demetrios, who appears on the British Museum specimen. No visible border.
Reverse
Inscription of seven lines; ornament below. Border of dots.
.ΑΠΡΟΕ
ΡΠΡΑΙ
ΡΙο.λ
γαριαστ.
τριακον..
φυλλ
Κύριε βοήθει Ἰωάννῃ πρωτοπροέδρῳ καὶ πραίτωρι Βουλγαρίας τῷ Τριακονταφύλλῳ
Obverse
Military saint standing frontally, holding spear and scabbard. Inscription at left: : Ὁ ἅγιος. This must be St. Demetrios, who appears on the British Museum specimen. No visible border.
Reverse
Inscription of seven lines; ornament below. Border of dots.
.ΑΠΡΟΕ
ΡΠΡΑΙ
ΡΙο.λ
γαριαστ.
τριακον..
φυλλ
Κύριε βοήθει Ἰωάννῃ πρωτοπροέδρῳ καὶ πραίτωρι Βουλγαρίας τῷ Τριακονταφύλλῳ
| Accession number | BZS.1958.106.5354 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 25.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 1, no. 29.4. |
Translation
Κύριε βοήθει Ἰωάννῃ πρωτοπροέδρῳ καὶ πραίτωρι Βουλγαρίας τῷ Τριακονταφύλλῳ.
Lord, help John Triakontaphyllos, protoproedros and praitor of Bulgaria.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, vol. 1: Italy, North of the Balkans, North of the Black Sea
- Sigillographie de l’Empire byzantin
- Catalogue of Additions to the Manuscripts in the British Museum in the Years...
- Catalogue of Seals in the Department of Manuscripts in the British Museum
- Βυζαντιακὰ μολυβδόβουλλα τοῦ ἐν ἈΘήναις Ἐθνικοῦ Νομισματικοῦ Μουσείου
- Les duchés byzantins de Paristrion (Paradounavon) et de Bulgarie
- Bolgarija i Vizantija v XI-XII vv.
- L’évolution de l’organisation administrative de l’empire byzantin au XIe siècle (1025–1118)
- Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin, vol. 5, L’Église
Commentary
Because of the lack of space, it is unlikely that the obverse was decorated with two military saints, as Schlumberger thought. We know of several other eleventh-century seals that belonged to John Triakontaphyllos (e.g., Sig., 710-11; Birch, no. 17933; Konstantopoulos, no. 391.