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George protonotarios and xenodochos of St. Sampson (ninth/tenth centuries)

 
 

Obverse

Cross potent on three steps; circular inscription (unreadable). No visible border.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, a cross above. Border of dots.

Γε..
ινοτ
ρ,κΞενοδο
χτνσ
μΨ

Γεω[ργ]ίῳ (πρωτο)νοταρ(ίῳ) κ(αὶ) ξενοδόχῳ τῶν Σαμψώ(ν)

Obverse

Cross potent on three steps; circular inscription (unreadable). No visible border.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, a cross above. Border of dots.

Γε..
ινοτ
ρ,κΞενοδο
χτνσ
μΨ

Γεω[ργ]ίῳ (πρωτο)νοταρ(ίῳ) κ(αὶ) ξενοδόχῳ τῶν Σαμψώ(ν)

Accession number BZS.1958.106.5472
Diameter 25.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 37.3.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Γεωργίῳ πρωτονοταρίῳ καὶ ξενοδόχῳ τῶν Σαμψών.

Lord, help your servant George protonotarios and xenodochos of St. Sampson.

Commentary

In Künker Sale 25 (29 September–1 October 1993, no. 545) there appeared a seal of the seventh/eighth centuries with a cruciform invocative monogram (type V) on the obverse and on the reverse an inscription reading Γεωργίῳ πρωτονοταρίῳ καὶ ξενοδόχῳ τοῦ Σαμψών. Cf. SBS 6 (1999): 136. The xenodochos of St. Sampson was assisted by chartoularioi (see Miller, "Sampson Hospital," 126).

W. Seibt, however, in his review of DO Seals 5 (BZ 100 [2007]: 234) notes that the seal mentioned above should rather be dated to the second half of the ninth century, and that it belonged to the same individual as the present seal (see BZ 89 [1996]: 322).

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)
  • The Sampson Hospital of Constantinople (Open in Zotero)