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John metropolitan of Ainos and synkellos (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

The Virgin standing, orans. Sigla preserved at right: ΘΥ̅: [Μ(ήτη)ρ] Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines followed by decoration. Border of dots.

.Κ̅Ε̅,
.̅Μ̅ΟΠΟ
.ΙΝ,ΣΥΓ
ΚΕΛ
·

[Θ(εοτό)]κε β(οήθει) [Ἰ]ω(άννῃ) μ(ητρ)οπο(λί)τ(ῃ) [Α]ἴν(ου) (καὶ) συγκέλῳ

Obverse

The Virgin standing, orans. Sigla preserved at right: ΘΥ̅: [Μ(ήτη)ρ] Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines followed by decoration. Border of dots.

.Κ̅Ε̅,
.̅Μ̅ΟΠΟ
.ΙΝ,ΣΥΓ
ΚΕΛ
·

[Θ(εοτό)]κε β(οήθει) [Ἰ]ω(άννῃ) μ(ητρ)οπο(λί)τ(ῃ) [Α]ἴν(ου) (καὶ) συγκέλῳ

Accession number BZS.1947.2.340
Diameter 20.0 mm; field: 13.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 1, no. 45.2. See also Laurent, Corpus V/1, no. 798, noting two other specimens from Vienna and Paris (IFEB).

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Ἰωάννῃ μητροπολίτῃ Αἴνου καὶ συγκέλῳ.

Theotokos, help John, metropolitan of Ainos and synkellos.

Commentary

In his reading, Laurent failed to note that in line 2 horizontal bars appear above the letters Μ and Π. He correctly observed (although the letter is difficult to discern) the imprint of a small Τ above the second Ο. Zacos (Seals II, nos. 511-512) published the two seals of a John metropolitan of Ainos and synkellos, but these are decorated with different types of the Virgin. One is similar to a bulla published by Mordtmann, Ἑλλ. Φιλολ. Σύλλ. 13 (1880) Suppl., 91 = Sig. 119. For the other, see the commentary, DO Seals 1, no. 45.3. From literary sources we know of only one eleventh-century John who was metropolitan of Ainos (but not yet synkellos) in 1032 (Grumel, Regestes, no. 840; Asdracha, Thrace orientale, 289).

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)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
  • Sigillographie de l’Empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)