George protospatharios, mystolektes, and imperial notarios of the Sphorakion (eleventh century)
Obverse
St. George standing, turned toward the left, with hands raised toward the manus Dei at the top left. Inscription in columns to left and right: Ο|Α|ΓΙ|Ο|ΣΓ|Ε|ΩΡ|ΓΙ|Ο|Σ: ὁ ἅγιος Γεώργιος. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription in six lines. Border of dots.
ΚΕ.
ΓΕΡΓΙΩ
Α,ΣΠΑΘΑΡ,
ΜΥΣΤΟΛΕΚΤ,
.,ΝΟΤΑΡ,
ΤΣΦΟΡ,
Κύριε βοήθει Γεωργίῳ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ, μυστολέκτῃ, καὶ βασιλικῷ νοταρίῳ τοῦ Σφορακίου
Obverse
St. George standing, turned toward the left, with hands raised toward the manus Dei at the top left. Inscription in columns to left and right: Ο|Α|ΓΙ|Ο|ΣΓ|Ε|ΩΡ|ΓΙ|Ο|Σ: ὁ ἅγιος Γεώργιος. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription in six lines. Border of dots.
ΚΕ.
ΓΕΡΓΙΩ
Α,ΣΠΑΘΑΡ,
ΜΥΣΤΟΛΕΚΤ,
.,ΝΟΤΑΡ,
ΤΣΦΟΡ,
Κύριε βοήθει Γεωργίῳ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ, μυστολέκτῃ, καὶ βασιλικῷ νοταρίῳ τοῦ Σφορακίου
| Accession number | BZS.1947.2.30 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 26.0 mm |
Translation
Κύριε βοήθει Γεωργίῳ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ, μυστολέκτῃ, καὶ βασιλικῷ νοταρίῳ τοῦ Σφορακίου.
Lord, help George protospatharios, mystolektes, and imperial notarios of the Sphorakion.
Bibliography
- Les églises byzantines des saints militaires (Open in Zotero)
- Sigillographie de l’Empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Schlumberger (Sig., 155-56) puts this seal in the twelfth or thirteenth century, but Laurent's date in the eleventh century (in his unpublished catalogue of the Shaw collection) is correct, based on the appearance of the title protospatharios. Laurent connects Sphorakion to the palace of that name (in that quarter of Constantinople) where there was a famous Church of St. Theodore; see Janin, "Les églises byzantines des saints militaires," 56-59.