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George bishop of Korone (tenth/eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin holding the medallion of Christ before her. No traces of the sigla remain. Within a border of dots, traces of a circular inscription: Δˊ

[Θ(εοτό)κε βοήθει τῷ σ]ῷ δ(ούλῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of four lines followed by a row of pellets. Border of dots.

ΓΕΟ
ΓΙΕ
ΣΚΟΠ
ΚΟΡΟ
  

Γεο[ρ]γίῳ ἐ[πι]σκόπ(ῳ) Κορό[νης]

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin holding the medallion of Christ before her. No traces of the sigla remain. Within a border of dots, traces of a circular inscription: Δˊ

[Θ(εοτό)κε βοήθει τῷ σ]ῷ δ(ούλῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of four lines followed by a row of pellets. Border of dots.

ΓΕΟ
ΓΙΕ
ΣΚΟΠ
ΚΟΡΟ
  

Γεο[ρ]γίῳ ἐ[πι]σκόπ(ῳ) Κορό[νης]

Accession number BZS.1947.2.76
Diameter 20.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 2, no. 28.3. Laurent, Corpus V/1, no. 652.

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Γεοργίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ Κορόνης.

Mother of God, help your servant George bishop of Korone.

Commentary

The ancient Korone was situated near the modern village of Petalidi (Messenia); the medieval and modern town occupies the location of ancient Asine. The bishopric, given as a suffragan to Patras sometime between 802 and 806 (Σαρσοκορώνη: problematic name on which see M. Kordoses, "Ἡ ἀρχαία Ἀρκαδικὴ πόλη Κορώνη καὶ ἡ Βυζαντινὴ Σαρσοκορώνη," Δωδώνη 16/1 [1987] 243-52), appears for the first time in an episcopal list of the early 10th century (Darrouzès, Notitiae, no. 7, line 552). A bishop of Korone is mentioned by Michael Psellos (MB V, 378). Later (14th c.) Korone will be attached to Monembasia. See Laurent, Corpus V/1, 486; Fedalto, 499-500; ODB II, 1149-50.

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 (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Notitiae Episcopatuum Ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae (Open in Zotero)
  • Hierarchia Ecclesiastica Orientalis: Series episcoporum ecclesiarum christianarum orientalium (Open in Zotero)