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[Anast/Tara]sios (?) hypatos and gerokomos on the property of Eugenios (ninth century)

 
 

Obverse

Cruciform monogram (indeterminate type); in the quarters, remains of inscription: ΔΛ: [τῷ σῷ] δούλῳ. No visible border.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines, top line missing. Indeterminate border.

ΣΙΥΠ
SΓΗΡΟΚ/
ΕΥΓΕ.

[Ἀναστα or Ταρα]σίῳ ὑπ(άτῳ) (καὶ) γηροκ(όμῳ) [τ(ῶν)] Εὐγε[ν(ίου)]

Obverse

Cruciform monogram (indeterminate type); in the quarters, remains of inscription: ΔΛ: [τῷ σῷ] δούλῳ. No visible border.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines, top line missing. Indeterminate border.

ΣΙΥΠ
SΓΗΡΟΚ/
ΕΥΓΕ.

[Ἀναστα or Ταρα]σίῳ ὑπ(άτῳ) (καὶ) γηροκ(όμῳ) [τ(ῶν)] Εὐγε[ν(ίου)]

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.2405
Diameter 25.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 35.1.

Translation

Κύριε or Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Ἀναστασίῳ/Ταρασίῳ ὑπάτῳ καὶ γηροκόμῳ τῶν Εὐγενίου.

Lord or Mother of God, help your servant Anastasios/Tarasios hypatos and gerokomos of the property of Eugenios.

Commentary

Schlumberger (Sig., 154, no. 1) has published a similar seal (now in Vienna, MK 97) of the ninth century, The obverse bears a cruciform invocative monogram and the reverse an inscription of four lines, which the editor read: Κυριτζίῳ ὑπάτῳ καὶ γηροκόμῳ τῶν Εὐγενίου. On our seal the letters CIW are clearly visible on the second line.

The quarter known as τὰ Εὐγενίου was located on the Golden Horn. The head of the gerokomeion τῶν Εὐγενίου customarily delivered a eulogy to the emperor on the occasion of his visit to the Blachernae and his ritual bath in the Blachernae's waters. See Janin, Églises, 554, and idem, CPbyz, 349.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 5: The East (continued), Constantinople and Environs, Unknown Locations, Addenda, Uncertain Readings (Open in Zotero)
  • Sigillographie de l’Empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • La géographie ecclésiastique de l’empire byzantin, Vol. 1, Le siège de Constantinople et le patriarcat oecuménique, Pt. 3, Les églises et les monastères (Open in Zotero)
  • Constantinople byzantin: dévelopment urbain et répertoire topographique (Open in Zotero)