John horreiarios of Panarmos (eleventh century)
Obverse
Faint bust of the Virgin holding Christ. No sigla, inscription, or border visible.
Reverse
Inscription of four lines, the final two letters between horizontal bars. Indeterminate border.
+ΚΕ,Θ
Ι̅ΟΡ,ΑΡΙ
ΠΑΝΑΡ
Μ
Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)θ(ει) Ἰω(άννῃ) ὁρ(ι)αρί(ῳ) Πανάρμου
Obverse
Faint bust of the Virgin holding Christ. No sigla, inscription, or border visible.
Reverse
Inscription of four lines, the final two letters between horizontal bars. Indeterminate border.
+ΚΕ,Θ
Ι̅ΟΡ,ΑΡΙ
ΠΑΝΑΡ
Μ
Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)θ(ει) Ἰω(άννῃ) ὁρ(ι)αρί(ῳ) Πανάρμου
| Accession number | BZS.1958.106.2266 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 21.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 3, no. 62.2. |
Translation
Κύριε βοήθει Ἰωάννῃ ὁριαρίῳ Πανάρμου.
Lord, help John, horreiarios of Panarmos.
Commentary
Today Panormos is Bandirma, east of Kyzikos (the dates of our seals rule out the Sicilian Panormos = Palermo). The city has been famous down to the present day as a center of exports of agricultural produce, and this shows in the numerous seals of horrearioi that are preserved. It seems that the original name was Panarmos (this seal, BZS.1955.1.2409) and was transformed in Greek as Panormos because of a false etymology.