Skip to Content

Theophylaktos (?) imperial protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou and epi ton barbaron (tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

In the middle, an elephant. Along the circumference, a circular inscription, beginning at twelve o'clock, between concentric borders of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Indeterminate border.

[Θε]οφυλάκ(τῳ) β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπαθ(αρίῳ) ἐπὶ τοῦ Χρυσοτρικ(λίνου) (καὶ) ἐπὶ τ(ῶν) βαρβάρ(ων)

Obverse

In the middle, an elephant. Along the circumference, a circular inscription, beginning at twelve o'clock, between concentric borders of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Indeterminate border.

[Θε]οφυλάκ(τῳ) β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπαθ(αρίῳ) ἐπὶ τοῦ Χρυσοτρικ(λίνου) (καὶ) ἐπὶ τ(ῶν) βαρβάρ(ων)

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.1065
Diameter 30.0 mm
Previous Editions

Oikonomides, Byzantine Lead Seals, no. 43a (only the obverse is illustrated, and it is dated to the eleventh century).

Translation

... βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Θεοφυλάκτῳ βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ ἐπὶ τοῦ Χρυσοτρικλίνου καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν βαρβάρων.

... help your servant Theophylaktos imperial protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou and epi ton barbaron.

Commentary

It is difficult to confirm the seal owner's name as preserved on the first and second lines of the reverse inscription. The final letter, before R, seems to be K. There are two letters preceding that on the second line. On the first line, the final letter is V; before that letter, the bottom parts of two letters are visible: possibly an O followed by a Φ. Although it remains tenuous, we would suggest that this seal belongs to a Theophylaktos.