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Barsakios imperial protospatharios and strategos of the Peloponnesos (ninth/tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin with her hands held palm outward before her. Traces of a circular inscription along a border of dots.

..ΚΕ..ΗΘ.ΤΣΔ

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

ΡΣ
ΚΙΟΣΠ
ΘΣΤΡΤ
ΙΓ,ΠΕΛΟΠ
ΟΝΙΣ

Βαρσακίο βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ στρατιγ Πελοπονίσου

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin with her hands held palm outward before her. Traces of a circular inscription along a border of dots.

..ΚΕ..ΗΘ.ΤΣΔ

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

ΡΣ
ΚΙΟΣΠ
ΘΣΤΡΤ
ΙΓ,ΠΕΛΟΠ
ΟΝΙΣ

Βαρσακίο βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ στρατιγ Πελοπονίσου

Accession number BZS.1958.106.2156
Diameter 24.0 mm; field: 20.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 2, no. 22.22.

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Βαρσακίο βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ στρατιγῷ Πελοπονίσου.

Mother of God, help your servant Barsakios, imperial protospatharios and strategos of the Peloponnesos.

Commentary

The seal of Barsakios imperial protospatharios and strategos of the Peloponnesos, published by Zacos-Veglery, no. 2569a, appears to be at least fifty years earlier in date than the present specimen. Other 9th/10th century seals of strategoi named Barsakios are enumerated in DO Seals 2, 8.41, but these are decorated with the patriarchal cross.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 2: South of the Balkans, the Islands, South of Asia Minor (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
  • La Morée franque: Recherches historiques, topographiques et archéologiques sur la principauté d’Achaïe (1205-1430) (Open in Zotero)
  • Die Skleroi: Eine prosopographisch-sigillographische Studie (Open in Zotero)
  • Theophanis Chronographia (Open in Zotero)
  • Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
  • Realities of Byzantine Provincial Government: Hellas and Peloponnesos, 1180-1205 (Open in Zotero)
  • Die byzantinische Armee im 10. und 11. Jahrhundert: Studien zur Organisation der Tagmata (Open in Zotero)