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John imperial protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou and strategos of Cherson (tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of St. John the Theologian. Inscription in two columns: |Ι|ΟΘ|Ε|.|. : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Ἰω(άννης) ὁ Θε[ολ(όγος)]. No visible border.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. No visible border.

.ι.ν
ˊαˊσπαθˊε
τ,χρυσοτρι
ληνστρατ,
χερσον

Ἰω[ά]ν[ν(ης)] β(ασιλικὸς) (πρωτο)σπαθ(άριος) ἐ[π(ὶ)] τ(οῦ) Χρυσοτρι[κ]λήν(ου) (καὶ) στρατ(ηγὸς) Χερσόν(ος)

Obverse

Bust of St. John the Theologian. Inscription in two columns: |Ι|ΟΘ|Ε|.|. : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Ἰω(άννης) ὁ Θε[ολ(όγος)]. No visible border.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. No visible border.

.ι.ν
ˊαˊσπαθˊε
τ,χρυσοτρι
ληνστρατ,
χερσον

Ἰω[ά]ν[ν(ης)] β(ασιλικὸς) (πρωτο)σπαθ(άριος) ἐ[π(ὶ)] τ(οῦ) Χρυσοτρι[κ]λήν(ου) (καὶ) στρατ(ηγὸς) Χερσόν(ος)

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.355
Diameter 21.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 1, no. 82.16. Alekseyenko, L'administration Byzantine de Cherson, no. 76.

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

Translation

Ἰωάννης βασιλικὸς πρωτοσπαθάριος ἐπὶ τοῦ Χρυσοτρικλήνου καὶ στρατηγὸς Χερσόνος.

John imperial protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou and strategos of Cherson.

Commentary

This seal is certainly related to Sokolova, Monety, no. 48, which is obviously misread. Another seal of the same type and with the same iconography belonged to a John protospatharios (but not epi tou Chrysotriklinou, ibid., no. 46).

See also the commentary to BZS 1958.106.4036.

Bibliography