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Theodotos patrikios, imperial protospatharios and strategos of the Armeniakoi (tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin holding the nimbus of the Christ child before her. Circular inscription within a border of dots. The letters Δ-Λ, on either side of the Virgin, complete the invocation. Border of dots.

θκεR, - τσδ-λ

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οήθει) τῷ σῷ δ(ού)λ(ῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, a row of pellets above and below. Border of dots.


+θεοδο
τ,πατρικ,R,
ασπαθ,Sστ
ρατιγ,τ,αρ
μενιακ,

Θεοδότ(ῳ) πατρικ(ίῳ), β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπαθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) στρατιγ(ῷ) τ(ῶν) Ἀρμενιακ(ῶν)

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin holding the nimbus of the Christ child before her. Circular inscription within a border of dots. The letters Δ-Λ, on either side of the Virgin, complete the invocation. Border of dots.

θκεR, - τσδ-λ

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οήθει) τῷ σῷ δ(ού)λ(ῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, a row of pellets above and below. Border of dots.


+θεοδο
τ,πατρικ,R,
ασπαθ,Sστ
ρατιγ,τ,αρ
μενιακ,

Θεοδότ(ῳ) πατρικ(ίῳ), β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπαθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) στρατιγ(ῷ) τ(ῶν) Ἀρμενιακ(ῶν)

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.558
Diameter 26.0 mm; field: 20.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 4, no. 22.49a.

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

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Θεοδότῳ πατρικίῳ, βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ στρατιγῷ τῶν Ἀρμενιακῶν.

Mother of God, help your servant Theodotos patrikios, imperial protospatharios and strategos of the Armeniakoi.

Commentary

This seal and BZS.1951.31.5.2769 come from the same boulloterion.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
  • The Armeniac Theme and the Fate of Its Leaders (Open in Zotero)
  • Les sceaux byzantins de la Collection Henri Seyrig (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
  • Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
  • De Thematibus (Open in Zotero)
  • Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (Open in Zotero)
  • Η Μικρά Ασία των θεμάτων. Ἐρευνες πάνω στην γεωγραφική φυσιογνωμία και προσωπογραφία των βυζαντινών θεμάτων της Μικράς Ασίας (Open in Zotero)
  • Istoriceskoe znacenie italo-greceskoj ikonopisi: Izobra zenija Bogomatera v prozvedenijah italo-greceskih ikonopiscev i ih vlijanie na kompozicii nekotoryh proslavlennyh russkih ikon (Open in Zotero)