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Prokopios imperial spatharios and logothetes of the agelon (eighth/ninth century)

 
 

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (type V). In the quarters: Τ|Σ.|Λ. Wreath border.

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ [δ]ούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of four lines. Wreath border.

προκοπ
ιβσπ
λογοθ
ταγ

Προκο[π]ίῳ β(ασιλικῷ) σπ[αθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ)] λογοθ[έτῃ] τ(ῶν) ἀγε[λῶν]

Obverse

Cruciform invocative monogram (type V). In the quarters: Τ|Σ.|Λ. Wreath border.

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ [δ]ούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription of four lines. Wreath border.

προκοπ
ιβσπ
λογοθ
ταγ

Προκο[π]ίῳ β(ασιλικῷ) σπ[αθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ)] λογοθ[έτῃ] τ(ῶν) ἀγε[λῶν]

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.1107
Diameter 28.0 mm
Previous Editions

Zacos-Veglery, no. 2339; Laurent, Corpus 2, no. 580. PmbZ 6363.

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

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Προκοπίῳ βασιλικῷ σπαθαρίῳ καὶ λογοθέτῃ τῶν ἀγελῶν.

Mother of God, help your servant Prokopios imperial spatharios and logothetes of the herds.

Commentary

The logothetes of the agelon was the supervisor of the state herds of horses and mules (ODB 2:1247). His first two subordinates, the protonotarios of Asia and the protonotarios of Asia, provide evidence for the location of those herds and the estates (mitata) on which they were maintained (Oikonomides, Listes, 117.27–8). The Kleterologion of Philotheos includes this officer under the stratarchai, alongside the hetaireiarch, the droungarios of the fleet, the protospatharios of the basilikon, and the count of the stables (Listes, 107.24–28). The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (3: 1962) notes that the stratarchai were officers who "held an intermediary position between military dignities and civil functionaries."

Bibliography