Leo bishop of Zarzela (tenth/eleventh century)
Obverse
Bust of St. John Prodromos holding a long cross in his right hand. Vertical inscription visible at right: |Δ|Ρ : [Ὁ (ἅγιος) Ἰω(άννης) ὁ] Πρ(ό)δρ[ο(μος)]. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of four lines followed by an ornament. Border of dots.
λεον
επησκ.
π,ζαρ..
ληα.
Λέον ἐπήσκ[ο]π(ος) Ζαρ[ζη]λήα[ς]
Obverse
Bust of St. John Prodromos holding a long cross in his right hand. Vertical inscription visible at right: |Δ|Ρ : [Ὁ (ἅγιος) Ἰω(άννης) ὁ] Πρ(ό)δρ[ο(μος)]. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of four lines followed by an ornament. Border of dots.
λεον
επησκ.
π,ζαρ..
ληα.
Λέον ἐπήσκ[ο]π(ος) Ζαρ[ζη]λήα[ς]
| Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.2047 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 23.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 5 no. 112.1; Laurent, Corpus 5.1: no. 841 (Garella). |
| Credit Line | Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore. |
Translation
Λέον ἐπήσκοπος Ζαρζηλήας.
Leo bishop of Zarzela.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 5: The East (continued), Constantinople and Environs, Unknown Locations, Addenda, Uncertain Readings (Open in Zotero)
- Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Laurent read the initial letter of the bishop's see as Γ, but it is clear that the letter is surmounted by a horizontal bar that extends left in the manner of T or Z. In addition the final letter of line 3 does not appear to be a lunate epsilon, but a box-shaped H. If Leo were in charge of an archbishopric, one might expect him to describe himself as ἀρχιεπίσκοπος; in contrast, ἐπίσκοπος is wholly appropriate for the see of Zarzela, which was throughout its history a suffragan bishopric of Antioch of Pisidia.