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Leo Hexamilites, spatharokandidatos epi tou Chrysotriklinou (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God orans with the medallion of Christ before her. Sigla: ̅θυ̅ : Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.


θκ̅ε,θ,
λεντα
σπαθκ,
επ,τ,γκλ
ττ,ε
μλτ

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Λέωντα σπαθ(αρο)κ(αν)δ(ι)δ(ᾶτον) ἐπ(ὶ) τ(οῦ) Χρ(υσο)(τρι)κλ(ίνου) τῷ τ(οῦ) Ἑξ(α)μ(ι)λ(ί)τ(ου)

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God orans with the medallion of Christ before her. Sigla: ̅θυ̅ : Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.


θκ̅ε,θ,
λεντα
σπαθκ,
επ,τ,γκλ
ττ,ε
μλτ

Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) Λέωντα σπαθ(αρο)κ(αν)δ(ι)δ(ᾶτον) ἐπ(ὶ) τ(οῦ) Χρ(υσο)(τρι)κλ(ίνου) τῷ τ(οῦ) Ἑξ(α)μ(ι)λ(ί)τ(ου)

Accession number BZS.1955.1.3350
Diameter 19.0 mm; field: 14.0 mm

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Λέωντα σπαθαροκανδιδάτον ἐπὶ τοῦ Χρυσοτρικλίνου τῷ τοῦ Ἑξαμιλίτου.

Mother of God, help Leo (son of) Hexamilites, spatharokandidatos epi tou Chrysotriklinou.

Commentary

The reading of the last two lines of the reverse is secure but presents an odd formulation: τῷ τοῦ Ἐξαμιλίτου, as though to say "son of" (or "man of") Hexamilites. Given the grammatical awkwardness of the inscription, which shifts from the accusative case to the dative, we may assume that this was an engraver's mistake and that the owner's name was in fact Leo Hexamilites.