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Azdras (?) patrikios (eighth century, first half)

 
 

Obverse

Cruciform monogram of four letters: ρ : Ἀζδρᾶ. Between two wreath borders, a circular inscription beginning at twelve o'clock:

...τισμοσμουσοτη̣ρ̣μ̣̣

[Κ(ύριο)ς φ]ωτισμός μου (καὶ) σοτήρ μου

Reverse

Cruciform monogram with these letters: ικπρτ : πατρικίου. Between two wreath borders, a circular inscription beginning at twelve o'clock:

κσ.περασπι....στησζ....

Κ(ύριο)ς ὑπερασπι[στὴς] τῆς ζω[ῆς μου]

Obverse

Cruciform monogram of four letters: ρ : Ἀζδρᾶ. Between two wreath borders, a circular inscription beginning at twelve o'clock:

...τισμοσμουσοτη̣ρ̣μ̣̣

[Κ(ύριο)ς φ]ωτισμός μου (καὶ) σοτήρ μου

Reverse

Cruciform monogram with these letters: ικπρτ : πατρικίου. Between two wreath borders, a circular inscription beginning at twelve o'clock:

κσ.περασπι....στησζ....

Κ(ύριο)ς ὑπερασπι[στὴς] τῆς ζω[ῆς μου]

Accession number BZS.1958.106.929
Diameter 33.0 mm; field: 29.0 mm
Previous Editions

Joe Glynias, "Prayerful Iconoclasts: Psalm Seals and Elite Formation in the First Iconoclast Era (726–750)," DOP 71 (2017), 65-93, 82 (no. 1); Zacos-Veglery, no. 579a-b; cf. Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden I, no. 1168. Parallel seals in Koltsida-Makre, Βυζαντινά μολυβδόβουλλα, no. 173-74; Sode and Speck, Berlin II, no. 211; Konstantopoulos, no. 905. Zacos mentions three other specimens.

Translation

Ἀζδρᾶ πατρικίου. Κύριος φωτισμός μου καὶ σοτήρ μου: Κύριος ὑπερασπιστὴς τῆς ζωῆς μου.

(Seal of) Azdras patrikios. The Lord is my light and my saviour; The Lord is the strength of my life.

Commentary

The seal contains a quotation from Psalm 26:1 that begins on the obverse and continues on the reverse. The resolution of the monogram is uncertain since it would present a name unique in this time. “Azdras” was first proposed by Zacos-Veglery, who offered this as an alternate form of Esdras (Ezra), as found in the Apocrypha; Koltsida-Makre and Sode accepted this proposed reading. Given the lack of viable alternatives, and since the monogram is inscribed clearly on other specimens, “Azdras” is tentatively offered here in preference to less likely resolutions (e.g. Ζαρίδα).

Bibliography

  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
  • Βυζαντινά Μολυβδόβουλλα: Συλλογής Ορφανίδη-Νικολαΐδη Νομισματικού Μουσείου Αθηνών (Open in Zotero)
  • Corpus der byzantinischen Siegel mit metrischen Legenden, Vol. 1, Siegellegenden von Alpha bis inclusive My (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantinische Bleisiegel in Berlin II (Open in Zotero)
  • Βυζαντιακὰ μολυβδόβουλλα τοῦ ἐν ἈΘήναις Ἐθνικοῦ Νομισματικοῦ Μουσείου (Open in Zotero)