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N., imperial spatharokandidatos and horreiarios of Panormos (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Patriarchal cross (X at crossing of both arms) on a sphere, resting on two steps; three pellets at ends of cross bars. Fleurons arise from base (up to second bar). No epigraphy or border visible. 

Reverse

Inscription of six lines of which four are preserved. No visible border.

...
ΣΠΑΘ,Ρ,
..ΝΔΙΔΑ
ΟΡΙΑΡΙ.
.ΑΝΟΡ

[... σ]παθ(α)ρ(ο)[κα]νδιδά[τ(ῳ) (καὶ)] ὁριαρί[ῳ Π]ανόρ[μου]

Obverse

Patriarchal cross (X at crossing of both arms) on a sphere, resting on two steps; three pellets at ends of cross bars. Fleurons arise from base (up to second bar). No epigraphy or border visible. 

Reverse

Inscription of six lines of which four are preserved. No visible border.

...
ΣΠΑΘ,Ρ,
..ΝΔΙΔΑ
ΟΡΙΑΡΙ.
.ΑΝΟΡ

[... σ]παθ(α)ρ(ο)[κα]νδιδά[τ(ῳ) (καὶ)] ὁριαρί[ῳ Π]ανόρ[μου]

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.1947
Diameter 18.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 3, no. 62.4b. The reading of this seal has been restored on the basis of its better preserved counterpart from the same boulloterion: BZS 1955.1.1720.

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

Translation

.δ. βασιλικῷ σπαθαροκανδιδάτῳ καὶ ὁριαρίῳ Πανόρμου.

N. imperial spatharokandidatos and horreiarios of Panormos.

Commentary

Today Panormos is Bandirma, east of Kyzikos (the dates of our seals preclude the Sicilian Panormos = Palermo). The city was long famous as a center of exports of agricultural produce, and this shows in the numerous seals of horrearioi that are preserved. It seems that the original name was Panarmos (this seal, BZS.1958.106.2266) and was transformed in Greek as Panormos because of a false etymology.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 3: West, Northwest, and Central Asia Minor and the Orient (Open in Zotero)