Sergios chartoularios and kommerkiarios of Presthlavitza (eleventh century)
Obverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
..Ε̅,Θ,
.ΣΔ
ΣΕΡΓΙ
ΤΛ.
Ρ,
[Κ(ύρι)]ε β(οή)θ(ει) [τ]ῷ σῷ δού(λῳ) Σεργίῳ χ(α)ρτουλ[α]ρ(ίῳ)
Reverse
Inscription of four lines preceded and followed by decoration. Border of dots.
·
ΚΟΥ
ΜΕΡΚ,Α.
.ΡΕΣΘΛ,
ΙΑΣ
·
(καὶ) κουμερκ(ι)α[ρ(ίῳ) Π]ρεσθλ(ά)[β]ιτζας
Obverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
..Ε̅,Θ,
.ΣΔ
ΣΕΡΓΙ
ΤΛ.
Ρ,
[Κ(ύρι)]ε β(οή)θ(ει) [τ]ῷ σῷ δού(λῳ) Σεργίῳ χ(α)ρτουλ[α]ρ(ίῳ)
Reverse
Inscription of four lines preceded and followed by decoration. Border of dots.
·
ΚΟΥ
ΜΕΡΚ,Α.
.ΡΕΣΘΛ,
ΙΑΣ
·
(καὶ) κουμερκ(ι)α[ρ(ίῳ) Π]ρεσθλ(ά)[β]ιτζας
| Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.1263 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 25.0 mm; field: 19.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 1, no. 78.3. Oikonomides, Presthlavitza, no. 3. A seal with the similar legend, but from a different boulloterion, is published in Zacos, Seals II, no. 1043. |
| Credit Line | Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore. |
Translation
Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Σεργίῳ χαρτουλαρίῳ καὶ κουμερκιαρίῳ Πρεσθλάβιτζας.
Lord, help your servant Sergios chartoularios and kommerkiarios of Presthlavitza.
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)
- Presthlavitza, the Little Preslav (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
- Où se trouvait Théodoroupolis, nom consigné sur certains sceaux du Grand Preslav (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
The seal published by Zacos, Seals II, no. 1043, has the spelling Πρισθλαβίτζας.
The literature concerning the probable location of "Little Preslav" is summarized in Oikonomides, Presthlavitza. The city could be placed at the mouth of the Danube River (at Prislava = Nufǎrul?). Established with its own strategos (DO Seals 1, no. 78.4), the city probably served as an entrepôt in trade between the Byzantines and the Rus during an eleventh century (hence the many seals of kommerkiarioi), only to decline in the twelfth, perhaps due to the development of new trade routes. I. Jordanov proposed that Preslavitza was also named Theodoroupolis by John Tzimiskes in 971, a name that disappeared when the city was recaptured by the Bulgars: I. Jordanov, "Koj bŭlgarski grad e bil narečen Teodoropol?" Vekove [1983] 58-62. But this point of view has been challenged by P. Diaconu, "Où se trouvait Théodoroupolis, nom consigné sur certains sceaux du Grand Preslav?" Vtori meždunaroden kongres po bŭlgaristika, Dokladi 6 (Sofia, 1987) 437-47.