Constantine imperial spatharios and protonotarios of Macedonia (ninth/tenth century)
Obverse
Patriarchal cross on four steps. Between two borders of dots, a circular inscription.
ΚΟΗΘΗΤΣΔΟΥΛ,
Κύριε βοήθη τῷ σῷ δούλῳ
Reverse
Inscription of five lines preceded by row of pellets. Border of dots.
···
ΚΝΣ
ΤΑΝΤΣ
ΑΘ,ΑΝΟΤ,
ΑΡ,Τ,ΜΑΚ
ΕΔΟΝ,
Κωνσταντίνῳ βασιλικῷ σπαθαρίῳ καὶ πρωτονοταρίῳ τῆς Μακεδονίας
Obverse
Patriarchal cross on four steps. Between two borders of dots, a circular inscription.
ΚΟΗΘΗΤΣΔΟΥΛ,
Κύριε βοήθη τῷ σῷ δούλῳ
Reverse
Inscription of five lines preceded by row of pellets. Border of dots.
···
ΚΝΣ
ΤΑΝΤΣ
ΑΘ,ΑΝΟΤ,
ΑΡ,Τ,ΜΑΚ
ΕΔΟΝ,
Κωνσταντίνῳ βασιλικῷ σπαθαρίῳ καὶ πρωτονοταρίῳ τῆς Μακεδονίας
| Accession number | BZS.1947.2.101 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 22.0 mm; field: 16.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 1, no. 43.21. |
Translation
Κύριε βοήθη τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Κωνσταντίνῳ βασιλικῷ σπαθαρίῳ καὶ πρωτονοταρίῳ τῆς Μακεδονίας.
Lord, help your servant Constantine imperial spatharios and protonotarios of Macedonia.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 1: Italy, North of the Balkans, North of the Black Sea (Open in Zotero)
- Philippes et la Macédoine orientale à l’époque chrétienne et byzantine; recherches d’histoire et d’archéologie (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantinische Rang- und Ämterstruktur im 8. und 9. Jahrhundert: Faktoren und Tendenzen ihrer Entwicklung (Open in Zotero)
- La Macédoine orientale à l’époque byzantine: à propos d'un livre récent (Open in Zotero)
- Sigillographie de l’Empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
- Theophanes Continuatus, Ioannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
This seal and BZS.1958.106.3488 certainly belonged to the same person: they are from the same period and are nearly identical, although the other is considerably smaller than this. Constantine changed his seal when he was promoted to the immediately higher dignity of spatharios.