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Constantine protospatharios and chartoularios of the genikon of the archives of the West (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of St Nicholas holding a book. Inscription: |Ν|.Κ|Ο|Λ : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Ν[ι]κόλ(αος). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of seven lines, last line missing. Border of dots.

κε,θ,
κνΆσπ.
θαρ,χαρ
τ,λα.τγε
νηκ,αρκ
λ,δυσε

Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)θ(ει) Κων(σταντίνῳ) (πρωτο)σπ[α]θαρ(ίῳ) (καὶ) χαρτ(ου)λα[ρ(ίῳ)] τ(οῦ) γενηκοῦ ἄρκλ(ας) Δύσε(ως)

Obverse

Bust of St Nicholas holding a book. Inscription: |Ν|.Κ|Ο|Λ : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Ν[ι]κόλ(αος). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of seven lines, last line missing. Border of dots.

κε,θ,
κνΆσπ.
θαρ,χαρ
τ,λα.τγε
νηκ,αρκ
λ,δυσε

Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)θ(ει) Κων(σταντίνῳ) (πρωτο)σπ[α]θαρ(ίῳ) (καὶ) χαρτ(ου)λα[ρ(ίῳ)] τ(οῦ) γενηκοῦ ἄρκλ(ας) Δύσε(ως)

Accession number BZS 1951.31.5.1892
Diameter 30.0 mm; field: 20.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 1, no. 1.4.

Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει Κωνσταντίνῳ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ χαρτουλαρίῳ τοῦ γενηκοῦ ἄρκλας Δύσεως.

Lord, help Constantine protospatharios and chartoularios of the genikon of the archives of the West.

Commentary

The relationship between the original strike and the overstrike is 180 degrees. On the obverse, traces of an inscription, ε or ω, are visible form the original strike. On the reverse, a few letters can be seen at the bottom: +....ΛΑ|ΝΟ.....|Ο. The owner of the original boulleterion may have been a certain [Νικο]λά[ῳ] νο[ταρίῳ].

The reading of the words ἄρκλας Δύσεως on the reverse in uncertain. A fiscal unit called the West and more technically, the ἄρκλα ("chest" where papers are kept, i.e. archive or office) of the West, subordinate to the logothete of the genikon and served by the chartoularioi of this sekreton, is solidly attested in the second half of the eleventh century: Iviron I, no. 30; Iviron II, nos. 32, 35, 48. It is possible that by this term and at that time, the themes of Thrace, Macedonia, Boleron, Strymon and Thessalonica may be meant, as in the case of the "anagrapheus of the West" (BZS.1958.106.3080, BZS.1955.1.1604): we know of at least two cases in which several themes are involved: in 1059 and 1074 we find in eastern Macedonia Leo anagrapheus "of the West" that is, "of the four themes" (unspecified): Iviron II, no. 32, see line 30; and in 1102, we find an anagrapheus of the themes of Thrace, Macedonia, Boleron, Strymon, and Thessalonike (this could be four themes if we count Boleron and Strymon as one), but who is not called "of the West" (IRAIK 5 [1900] 41-42). The important thing to note is that the fiscal unit of the genikon almost certainly covered a region much smaller than the totality of the Balkans.

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 (Open in Zotero)
  • Overstruck Seals in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection (Open in Zotero)