Skip to Content

N. imperial protospatharios and strategos of Cherson (tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

The Annunciation. The Virgin standing at left and the archangel on the right. Between them, on the ground, a low seat (?) resembling the head of a column. Vertical inscription in center: Χ|Ε|ΡΕ|Τ : [ὁ] Χερετ(ισμός). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription in six lines. Border of dots.

.
./ΣΠ
ΡΙΣΤ
....γ
ερσον
οσ

..... β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπ[αθ]αρίῳ (καὶ) στ[ρατη]γῷ [Χ]ερσόνος

Obverse

The Annunciation. The Virgin standing at left and the archangel on the right. Between them, on the ground, a low seat (?) resembling the head of a column. Vertical inscription in center: Χ|Ε|ΡΕ|Τ : [ὁ] Χερετ(ισμός). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription in six lines. Border of dots.

.
./ΣΠ
ΡΙΣΤ
....γ
ερσον
οσ

..... β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπ[αθ]αρίῳ (καὶ) στ[ρατη]γῷ [Χ]ερσόνος

Accession number BZS.1947.2.245
Diameter 18.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 1, no. 82.23; Alekseyenko, L'administration Byzantine de Cherson, no. 64 (3).

Translation

..... βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ στρατηγῷ Χερσόνος.

... imperial protospatharios and strategos of Cherson.

Commentary

It is possible that the owner of this seal is Gregory, strategos of Cherson, whose seal (BZS.1958.106.1770) is also decorated with the scene of the Annunciation. The two specimens, however, are from different boulloteria.

Bibliography