Theophilos imperial (proto?)strator (seventh/eighth century)
Obverse
Cruciform invocative monogram; in the angles: Τ.Ε|Λσ. Wreath border.
Κύριε βώηθη τοῦ εδούλου σου
Obverse
Cruciform invocative monogram; in the angles: Τ.Ε|Λσ. Wreath border.
Κύριε βώηθη τοῦ εδούλου σου
Reverse
Inscription in four lines. Wreath border.
θεωφι
.Βσι
λικισ
.ρτΣρ
Θεωφίλου βασιλικοῦ πρωτοστράτορος
Accession number | BZS.1958.106.2972 |
---|---|
Diameter | 29.0 mm |
Translation
Κύριε βώηθη τοῦ δούλου σου Θεωφίλου βασιλικοῦ πρωτοστράτορος.
Lord, help your servant Theophilos imperial protostrator.
Commentary
The seal is quite strange; it is quite possible that the engraver was not a native Greek speaker, but perhaps, a Latin speaker. The obverse seems to contain a combination of a poorly spelled invocative monogram with an inscription in the angles, and an inscription beginning ΚΕ (i.e. Κύριε), the Κ of which also serves as part of the monogram, and the Ε of which seems to replace what should be a Δ. Additionally, the inscription in the angle is incorrectly in the genitive, not the dative. The reverse inscription is rudely carved. There is a strange feature before the word strator, an I, likely meant to serve as a Roman numeral I, indicating that this is a protostrator. The ending of the name is finished in an artistic way, with the Σ under the Ο implying that the Ο should be used for both O's of στράτορος.