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Gregory imperial protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou and chartoularios of the dromos of the Anatolikoi and of the Thrakesioi

 
 

Obverse

Patriarchal cross on three steps standing on a ball. On either side fleuron up to the first arm. Along a border of dots, circular inscription, beginning at 7 o'clock.

+ΚΕΟ........ΟΥΛ

Κ(ύρι)ε βο[ήθ(ει) τῷ σῷ] δούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of six lines followed by a row of pellets. Border of dots.

ΓΡΗ..
Ρ,ΣΠΘ,
.ΠΙΤ,Χ.ΥΣ,
.ΧΡΤ.,Ρ
.Μ,Τ,ΝΤ,
Τ,ΘΡΚ,

Γρη[γο]ρ(ίῳ) β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπαθ(αρίῳ) [ἐ]πὶ τ(οῦ) Χ[ρ]υσ(οτρικλίνου) [(καὶ)] χαρτ(ουλαρίῳ) [τ(οῦ)] δρ[ό]μ(ου) τ(ῶν) Ἀνατ(ολικῶν) (καὶ) τ(ῶν) Θρᾳκ(ησίων)

Obverse

Patriarchal cross on three steps standing on a ball. On either side fleuron up to the first arm. Along a border of dots, circular inscription, beginning at 7 o'clock.

+ΚΕΟ........ΟΥΛ

Κ(ύρι)ε βο[ήθ(ει) τῷ σῷ] δούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of six lines followed by a row of pellets. Border of dots.

ΓΡΗ..
Ρ,ΣΠΘ,
.ΠΙΤ,Χ.ΥΣ,
.ΧΡΤ.,Ρ
.Μ,Τ,ΝΤ,
Τ,ΘΡΚ,

Γρη[γο]ρ(ίῳ) β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπαθ(αρίῳ) [ἐ]πὶ τ(οῦ) Χ[ρ]υσ(οτρικλίνου) [(καὶ)] χαρτ(ουλαρίῳ) [τ(οῦ)] δρ[ό]μ(ου) τ(ῶν) Ἀνατ(ολικῶν) (καὶ) τ(ῶν) Θρᾳκ(ησίων)

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.660
Diameter 26.0 mm

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Γρηγορίῳ βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ ἐπὶ τοῦ Χρυσοτρικλίνου καὶ χαρτουλαρίῳ τοῦ δρόμου τῶν Ἀνατολικῶν καὶ τῶν Θρᾳκησίων.

Lord, help your servant Gregory, imperial protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou and chartoularios of the dromos of the Anatolikoi and the Thrakesioi.

Commentary

The mention of a chartoularios of the dromos with authority over the two themes where the metata of Phrygia and Asia were located (see DO Seals 3, no. 95) adds credibility to the hypothesis proposed by P. Magdalino that the charoularata (and, naturally, the chartoularioi) of the dromos of the West was responsible for providing pack animals to the army and, in time, to the postal service. See P. Magdalino, "τα χαρτουλαράτα της Βόρειας Ελλάδας το 1204," Πρακτικά Διεθνούς Συμποσίου για το Δεσποτάτο της Ηπείρο (Ἄρτα, 27-31 Μαϊου 1990), ed. E. Chrysos (Arta, 1992), 31-35. We must note though that there is at least one seal of a chartoularios of the dromos of the Armeniakoi (Laurent, Corpus II, no. 463).

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)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
  • Documents de sigillographie byzantine: La collection C. Orghidan (Open in Zotero)
  • Sceaux byzantins du Musée National de Varsovie (Open in Zotero)
  • Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantinische Rang- und Ämterstruktur im 8. und 9. Jahrhundert: Faktoren und Tendenzen ihrer Entwicklung (Open in Zotero)