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Nicholas ek prosopou of the Optimatoi (tenth/eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Patriarchal cross (X at crossing of lower arm) on three steps, the ends of the lower cross have pellets; fleurons arise from base (up to and slightly beyond lower arm). Along the circumference, an inscription. Border of dots.

+ΚΕΟΗΘ.Τ......ΛΟ

Κ(ύρι)ε βοήθ(ι) τ[ῷ σῷ δού]λο

Reverse

Inscription of four lines with decoration above. Indeterminate border.


...ΟΛ
Α.ΕΚΠΡ,
ΣΟΠΟΤΟ
ΠΤΗΜ

[Νικ]ολά[ῳ] ἐκ πρ(ο)σόπο(υ) το(ν) Ὀπτημ(άτων)

Obverse

Patriarchal cross (X at crossing of lower arm) on three steps, the ends of the lower cross have pellets; fleurons arise from base (up to and slightly beyond lower arm). Along the circumference, an inscription. Border of dots.

+ΚΕΟΗΘ.Τ......ΛΟ

Κ(ύρι)ε βοήθ(ι) τ[ῷ σῷ δού]λο

Reverse

Inscription of four lines with decoration above. Indeterminate border.


...ΟΛ
Α.ΕΚΠΡ,
ΣΟΠΟΤΟ
ΠΤΗΜ

[Νικ]ολά[ῳ] ἐκ πρ(ο)σόπο(υ) το(ν) Ὀπτημ(άτων)

Accession number BZS.1958.106.2358
Diameter 23.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 3, no. 71.20.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθι τῷ σῷ δούλό Νικολάῳ ἐκ προσόπου τον Ὀπτημάτων.

Lord, help your servant Nicholas, ek prosopou of the Optimatoi.

Commentary

The spelling of the title is ambiguous: ἐκπροσώπο(υ) or ἐκπροσώπῳ in one word?

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)
  • Documents de sigillographie byzantine: La collection C. Orghidan (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)
  • Byzantine Praetorians: An Administrative, Institutional, and Social Survey of the Opsikion and Tagmata, c. 580-900 (Open in Zotero)
  • Die byzantinische Armee im 10. und 11. Jahrhundert: Studien zur Organisation der Tagmata (Open in Zotero)