Christopher primikerios, epi tou koitonos, phylax and anagrapheus of the Armeniakoi (tenth/eleventh century)
Obverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
κεR
τσδ
χριστοφ
πριμικ,
-ρι-
Κ(ύρι)ε β(οήθει) τῷ σῷ δ(ούλῳ)
Reverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
.πιτ.
κοιτ,φυλ,
κ,Sαναγρα
φ,τναρ
μεν/
Χριστοφ(όρῳ) πριμικ(η)ρίῳ [ἐ]πὶ τ[οῦ] κοιτ(ῶνος), φύλ(α)κ(ι) (καὶ) ἀναγραφ(εῖ) τῶν Ἀρμεν(ιακῶν)
Obverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
κεR
τσδ
χριστοφ
πριμικ,
-ρι-
Κ(ύρι)ε β(οήθει) τῷ σῷ δ(ούλῳ)
Reverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
.πιτ.
κοιτ,φυλ,
κ,Sαναγρα
φ,τναρ
μεν/
Χριστοφ(όρῳ) πριμικ(η)ρίῳ [ἐ]πὶ τ[οῦ] κοιτ(ῶνος), φύλ(α)κ(ι) (καὶ) ἀναγραφ(εῖ) τῶν Ἀρμεν(ιακῶν)
| Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.1262 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 24.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 4, no. 22.2. |
| Credit Line | Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore. |
Translation
Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Χριστοφόρῳ πριμικηρίῳ ἐπὶ τοῦ κοιτῶνος, φύλακι καὶ ἀναγραφεῖ τῶν Ἀρμενιακῶν.
Lord, help your servant Christopher, primikerios epi tou koitonos, phylax and anagrapheus of the Armeniakoi.
Bibliography
- The Armeniac Theme and the Fate of Its Leaders (Open in Zotero)
- Les sceaux byzantins de la Collection Henri Seyrig (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
- De Thematibus (Open in Zotero)
- Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (Open in Zotero)
- Η Μικρά Ασία των θεμάτων. Ἐρευνες πάνω στην γεωγραφική φυσιογνωμία και προσωπογραφία των βυζαντινών θεμάτων της Μικράς Ασίας (Open in Zotero)
- Istoriceskoe znacenie italo-greceskoj ikonopisi: Izobra zenija Bogomatera v prozvedenijah italo-greceskih ikonopiscev i ih vlijanie na kompozicii nekotoryh proslavlennyh russkih ikon (Open in Zotero)
- L’évolution de l’organisation administrative de l’empire byzantin au XIe siècle (1025–1118) (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
The phylax was the official who supervised the private treasury of the emperor (also called the Phylax: cf. Oikonomides, “Evolution,” 137-38). Although other seals bearing this office are known (cf. Zacos, Seals II, nos. 474, 756, 805), our specimen is unique in that it records a provincial mandate (anagrapheus of the Armeniakoi) which Christopher exercised simultaneously with his duties at court. We may assume that he farmed out the lucrative provincial fiscal mandate, while he kept his position at the central administration.