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Basil bishop of Nyssa (tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

Cross potent on three steps, with fleurons rising to the horizontal bar. Circular inscription. Border of dots.

κεRοηθ,τσδ,

Κ(ύρι)ε βοήθ(ει) τῷ σῷ δ(ούλῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of four lines, followed by a row of pellets. Border of dots.

+Rασι
λειεπ
ισκοπν
υσση,

Βασιλείῳ ἐπισκόπ(ῳ) Νύσση(ς)

Obverse

Cross potent on three steps, with fleurons rising to the horizontal bar. Circular inscription. Border of dots.

κεRοηθ,τσδ,

Κ(ύρι)ε βοήθ(ει) τῷ σῷ δ(ούλῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of four lines, followed by a row of pellets. Border of dots.

+Rασι
λειεπ
ισκοπν
υσση,

Βασιλείῳ ἐπισκόπ(ῳ) Νύσση(ς)

Accession number BZS.1947.2.119
Diameter 18.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 4, no. 82.1. Laurent, Corpus V/1, no. 249.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Βασιλείῳ ἐπισκόπῳ Νύσσης.

Lord, help your servant Basil, bishop of Nyssa.

Commentary

There were three bishoprics named Nyssa, all three attested in the Notitiae from the sixth to the thirteenth century, and subordinate to the metropoleis of Kaisareia, of Ephesos and of Myra (cf. Darrouzès, Notitiae, index, s.v.). The first of the three (today Büyük and Küçük Kale tepe) is better known because of its bishop Gregory, the brother of St. Basil, and because it is mentioned as a topoteresia attached to the theme of Charsianon. See Laurent, Corpus V/1, 174; List of bishops in Fedalto, HEO I, 27; Hild-Restle, Kappadokien, 246-248; ODB III, 1506-7.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
  • Notitiae Episcopatuum Ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Kappadokien (Kappadokia, Charsianon, Sebasteia und Lykandos) (Open in Zotero)
  • Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (Open in Zotero)
  • Hierarchia Ecclesiastica Orientalis: Series episcoporum ecclesiarum christianarum orientalium (Open in Zotero)