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Anastasios archbishop of Thessalonica (eighth century)

 
 

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram consisting of Θ, in center; Ε, at left; , at right; Ο, above, and Β, at bottom. In the quarters: ΤΣ|ΔΛ. Wreath border.

Ὁ Θεὸς βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ

Reverse

In center, cruciform monogram consisting of Ν, at left; Σ, at right; Τ, above, and Α and Ω in ligature, at bottom. Circular inscription, beginning at 12 o'clock, between two wreath borders.

ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚ/ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗΣ

Ἀναστασίῳ ἀρχιεπισκόπῳ Θεσσαλονίκης

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram consisting of Θ, in center; Ε, at left; , at right; Ο, above, and Β, at bottom. In the quarters: ΤΣ|ΔΛ. Wreath border.

Ὁ Θεὸς βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ

Reverse

In center, cruciform monogram consisting of Ν, at left; Σ, at right; Τ, above, and Α and Ω in ligature, at bottom. Circular inscription, beginning at 12 o'clock, between two wreath borders.

ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚ/ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗΣ

Ἀναστασίῳ ἀρχιεπισκόπῳ Θεσσαλονίκης

Accession number BZS.1958.106.5701
Diameter 31.0 mm; field: 25.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 1, no. 18.79.
Laurent, Corpus V/3, no. 1727.
Zacos-Veglery, no. 1701.
Oikonomides, Dated Seals, no. 37.

Translation

Ὁ Θεὸς βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Ἀναστασίῳ ἀρχιεπισκόπῳ Θεσσαλονίκης.

God, help your servant Anastasios archbishop of Thessalonica.

Commentary

Laurent read the (obv.) monogram as Ἰησοῦ βοήθει, but since no Υ is present, it seems preferable to adopt the reading in Zacos-Veglery. In the eighth century, the succession at Thessalonica passed from Peter (before 754: see his seal, DO Seals 1, no. 18.86) to Anastasios (Gouillard, Synodikon, 114), who would have been elevated to the throne of Thessalonica after 754, as reflected by the fact that his seal is aniconic. Anastasios was succeeded by Theophilos, who attended the Council of Nicaea in 787 (Lemerle, St. Démétrius, 30).

Bibliography

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  • Le Synodikon de l’orthodoxie: Édition et commentaire (Open in Zotero)
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  • Byzantinische Bleisiegel in Berlin (West) (Open in Zotero)
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  • L’éparque de Thessalonique: les origines d'une institution administrative (VIIIe-IXe siècles) (Open in Zotero)