Skip to Content

Constantine Cheilas, sebastos and judge of the army (thirteenth century)

 
 

Obverse

St. Nicholas standing, offering a blessing and holding a book. Sigla: ο||γι|οσ|νικο|λ|ο : Ὁ ἅγιος Νικόλαος. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.

γραασ
σεΒακαικ
ττοσσα
κωναντιν
ηριετχει
λαμακαρ

Γραφὰς σεβαστοῦ καὶ κριτοῦ τοῦ φοσσάτου Κωνσταντίνου στήριζε τοῦ Χειλᾶ, μάκαρ

Obverse

St. Nicholas standing, offering a blessing and holding a book. Sigla: ο||γι|οσ|νικο|λ|ο : Ὁ ἅγιος Νικόλαος. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.

γραασ
σεΒακαικ
ττοσσα
κωναντιν
ηριετχει
λαμακαρ

Γραφὰς σεβαστοῦ καὶ κριτοῦ τοῦ φοσσάτου Κωνσταντίνου στήριζε τοῦ Χειλᾶ, μάκαρ

Accession number BZS.1955.1.3828
Diameter 33.0 mm
Previous Editions

Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden I, no. 318a (with parallels and further references).

Translation

Γραφὰς σεβαστοῦ καὶ κριτοῦ τοῦ φοσσάτου Κωνσταντίνου στήριζε τοῦ Χειλᾶ, μάκαρ.

Blessèd one, validate the letters of the sebastos and judge of the army, Constantine Cheilas.

Commentary

The inscription consists of two twelve-syllable verses. Note the unusual abbreviation (τ over the ου ligature in the third line of the reverse).

Wassiliou-Seibt notes that Constantine Cheilas is attested as judge of the army in 1293 and 1294, and the earliest figure identified as κριτὴς τοῦ φοσσάτου.

Bibliography

  • Corpus der byzantinischen Siegel mit metrischen Legenden, Vol. 1, Siegellegenden von Alpha bis inclusive My (Open in Zotero)