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.
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.
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)
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).