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John bishop of Panidos (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God, holding the medallion of Christ before her. Sigla: ̅ΘΥ̅ : Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Traces of a circular inscription along the circumference. No visible border.

Θ(εοτό)κε βοήθη τῷ σῷ δ[ούλ(ῳ)]

Reverse

Inscription of four lines preceded by row of pellets. Border of dots.

   
ιαη
επισκοπ
σπανε..
υ....

Ἰωάννη[ς] ἐπίσκοπ[ο]ς Πανε[ίδο]υ ...

Obverse

Bust of the Mother of God, holding the medallion of Christ before her. Sigla: ̅ΘΥ̅ : Μή(τη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Traces of a circular inscription along the circumference. No visible border.

Θ(εοτό)κε βοήθη τῷ σῷ δ[ούλ(ῳ)]

Reverse

Inscription of four lines preceded by row of pellets. Border of dots.

   
ιαη
επισκοπ
σπανε..
υ....

Ἰωάννη[ς] ἐπίσκοπ[ο]ς Πανε[ίδο]υ ...

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.1063
Diameter 22.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 1, no. 57.2. See also Laurent, Corpus V/1, no. 314.

Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore.

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθη τῷ σῷ δούλῳ. Ἰωάννης ἐπίσκοπος Πανείδου ... 

Mother of God, help your servant. John, bishop of Panidos ... 

Commentary

Laurent suggested that the inscription might conclude with the words "καὶ σύγκελλος." This is likely but by no means certain. Cf. Asdracha, Thrace orientale, 293.

The diocese, modern Panados, was located along the coastline of the Sea of Marmara in the vicinity of Raidestos. It was a suffragan bishopric of Herakleia. Cf. Laurent, Corpus V/1, 222 and Asdracha Thrace orientale, 248-49, 293-94.

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)
  • La région des Rhodopes aux XIIIe et XIVe siècles: étude de géographie historique (Open in Zotero)