The monastery of Alexios (eleventh century)
Obverse
Half-length bust of the Mother of God holding Christ in her left arm. Christ holds a scroll in his left hand, and his right hand is supported in a sling formed by his robe. Visible at left and at top right: Μ̅Θ̅ : Μ(ήτηρ) Θ(εοῦ). A circular inscription, beginning at 9 o'clock. Border of dots.
Θκεθ.....σ
Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) τ[ῷ δούλ]ῳ σου
Obverse
Half-length bust of the Mother of God holding Christ in her left arm. Christ holds a scroll in his left hand, and his right hand is supported in a sling formed by his robe. Visible at left and at top right: Μ̅Θ̅ : Μ(ήτηρ) Θ(εοῦ). A circular inscription, beginning at 9 o'clock. Border of dots.
Θκεθ.....σ
Θ(εοτό)κε β(οή)θ(ει) τ[ῷ δούλ]ῳ σου
Reverse
Inscription of five lines preceded by decoration. Border of dots.
..
φυλα
ττεσην
μονην
αλεξι
κορη
Φύλαττε σὴν μονὴν Ἀλεξίου Κόρη
Accession number | BZS.1958.106.323 |
---|---|
Diameter | 22.0 mm; field: 18.0 mm |
Previous Editions | DO Seals 5 no. 38.1; Laurent, Corpus 5.3: no. 1897 (slightly different reading). |
Translation
Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ δούλῳ σου. Φύλαττε σὴν μονὴν Ἀλεξίου, Κόρη.
Mother of God, help your servant. Virgin, guard your monastery of Alexios.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 5: The East (continued), Constantinople and Environs, Unknown Locations, Addenda, Uncertain Readings (Open in Zotero)
- Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
- Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis historiarum (Open in Zotero)
- La géographie ecclésiastique de l’empire byzantin, Vol. 1, Le siège de Constantinople et le patriarcat oecuménique, Pt. 3, Les églises et les monastères (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
This seal in all probability belonged to the monastery established by Patriarch Alexios the Stoudite (1025–1043). Skylitzes (429.18–24) reports that when Alexios died on 20 February, and was succeeded by Michael Keroularios, the emperor Constantine IX determined that there was a sum of gold equal to twenty-five kentenaria hoarded at the "monastery of Alexios" (τοῦ Ἀλεξίου μονῇ). The monastery overlooked the Bosphoros, but it is unclear if it was sited on the European or the Asiatic side (Janin, Églises, 19).
The inscription on the reverse comprises a twelve-syllable verse. The end portion of the circular inscription on the obverse is problematic. The letters omega and sigma are certain, the omicron-upsilon ligature is reasonably certain. Laurent read: [Θ(εοτό)]κε [βοήθ(ει) τ]ῷ [σ]ῷ δού[λῳ...].