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Christophoros hypatos, imperial spatharios and strategos of the Kibyrraiotai (eighth century)

 
 

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (type VIII); in the quarters: .Σ|ΔΛ. Wreath border.

Κ(ύρι)ε βοήθει [τ]ῷ σῷ δούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Wreath border.

..ΙΣ.
.ΦΟΡΟΥ.
ΠΑΘ/ΣΤ..
ΤΗΓ/ΤΝ
ΚΙΒΥΡ/

[Χρ]ισ[το]φόρο ὑ[π(άτῳ), β(ασιλικῷ) σ]παθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) στ[ρα]τηγ(ῷ) τῶν Κιβυρ(ραιωτῶν)

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (type VIII); in the quarters: .Σ|ΔΛ. Wreath border.

Κ(ύρι)ε βοήθει [τ]ῷ σῷ δούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Wreath border.

..ΙΣ.
.ΦΟΡΟΥ.
ΠΑΘ/ΣΤ..
ΤΗΓ/ΤΝ
ΚΙΒΥΡ/

[Χρ]ισ[το]φόρο ὑ[π(άτῳ), β(ασιλικῷ) σ]παθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) στ[ρα]τηγ(ῷ) τῶν Κιβυρ(ραιωτῶν)

Accession number BZS.1947.2.246
Diameter 27.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 2, no. 59.21a. Cf. Zacos-Veglery, no. 1794.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Χριστοφόρο ὑπάτῳ, βασιλικῷ σπαθαρίῳ καὶ στρατηγῷ τῶν Κιβυρραιωτῶν.

Lord, help your servant Christophoros hypatos, imperial spatharios and strategos of the Kibyrraiotai.

Commentary

This is one of three seals from the same boulloterion, edited jointly and with the parallels listed below.

Zacos-Veglery, unaware of the existence of this specimen, were uncertain about the reading of the name and proposed βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ for the title. The Υ is clear, and the combination hypatos and spatharios is normal for the eighth century.

Bibliography

  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
  • Theophanis Chronographia (Open in Zotero)
  • De Administrando Imperio (Open in Zotero)
  • Hierosolymitikē Vivliothēkē, ētoi Katalogos tōn en tais vivliothēkais : tou hagiōtatou apostolikou te kai katholikou orthodoxou patriarchikou thronou tōn Hierosolymōn kai pasēs Palaistinēs apokeimenōn Hellēnikōn Kōdikōn (Open in Zotero)
  • Sigillographie de l’Empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
  • Les sceaux byzantins de la Collection Henri Seyrig (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantinische Rang- und Ämterstruktur im 8. und 9. Jahrhundert: Faktoren und Tendenzen ihrer Entwicklung (Open in Zotero)