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Basil ..phles? ostiarios and protonotarios of the Tropaiophoros (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God orans with a medallion of Christ on her chest. At left and right: Μ̅Θ̅ : Μ(ήτηρ) Θ(εοῦ). Circular inscription beginning at 10 o'clock. Border of dots.

ΘΚΕ,Θ,..ΣΙΛΕΙ

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) [Βα]σιλείῳ

Reverse

Inscription of six lines, the final two letters between horizontal bars. Border of dots.

ΟΣΤΙ
ΑΡΙSΑ
ΝΟΤΑΡΤ
ΤΡΟΠΑΙΟ
Φ,Ρ,Τ..Φ
ΛΗ

ὀστιαρίῳ (καὶ) (πρωτο)νοταρ(ίῳ) τ[οῦ] Τροπαιοφ(ό)ρ(ου) τ(ῷ) [..]φλῃ

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God orans with a medallion of Christ on her chest. At left and right: Μ̅Θ̅ : Μ(ήτηρ) Θ(εοῦ). Circular inscription beginning at 10 o'clock. Border of dots.

ΘΚΕ,Θ,..ΣΙΛΕΙ

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) [Βα]σιλείῳ

Reverse

Inscription of six lines, the final two letters between horizontal bars. Border of dots.

ΟΣΤΙ
ΑΡΙSΑ
ΝΟΤΑΡΤ
ΤΡΟΠΑΙΟ
Φ,Ρ,Τ..Φ
ΛΗ

ὀστιαρίῳ (καὶ) (πρωτο)νοταρ(ίῳ) τ[οῦ] Τροπαιοφ(ό)ρ(ου) τ(ῷ) [..]φλῃ

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.2907
Diameter 24.0 mm; field: 18.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 25.16a.

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

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Βασιλείῳ ὀστιαρίῳ καὶ πρωτονοταρίῳ τοῦ Τροπαιοφόρου τῷ ..φλῃ.

Mother of God, help Basil ..phes ostiarios and protonotarios of the Tropaiophoros.

Commentary

This seal has been edited jointly with its counterpart from the same boulloterion, BZS 1955.1.4962.

W. Seibt suggests in his review of DO Seals 5 (BZ 100 [2007]: 234) that this belongs to Basil Xiphilinos.

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)