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Basil Xeros (twelfth century, second half)

 
 

Obverse

Inscription of five lines beginning and ending with a cross. Border of dots.


σικη̣
Ύνμισ̣
ηπντι
τΊ

ἡ σωστικὴ δύναμις ἡ πανταιτία

Reverse

Inscription of five lines beginning with a cross. Border of dots.

σ.
Ζοισμε̣
.σΊλειονεκ̣
ηρ͂νγε̣
νουσ

σῴζοις με Β[α]σίλειον ἐκ Ξηρῶν γένους

Obverse

Inscription of five lines beginning and ending with a cross. Border of dots.


σικη̣
Ύνμισ̣
ηπντι
τΊ

ἡ σωστικὴ δύναμις ἡ πανταιτία

Reverse

Inscription of five lines beginning with a cross. Border of dots.

σ.
Ζοισμε̣
.σΊλειονεκ̣
ηρ͂νγε̣
νουσ

σῴζοις με Β[α]σίλειον ἐκ Ξηρῶν γένους

Accession number BZS.1958.106.849
Diameter 28.0 mm
Previous Editions

Cf. Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden I, no. 864.

Translation

ἡ σωστικὴ δύναμις ἡ πανταιτία σῴζοις με Βασίλειον ἐκ Ξηρῶν γένους.

May you, the saving power, the cause of all, protect me, Basil of the Xeros family.

Commentary

Note the use of accent marks.

The "saving power, the cause of all (πανταιτία)" is an appeal to God or to Christ.

The owner of this seal may have been the Basil Xeros sent on an embassy by the emperor Manuel I Komnenos to Roger II of Sicily in September of 1043; see Dölger-Wirth, Regesten, no. 1331. See also PBW : Basileios 20263.