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Leo protospatharios and strategos of Melitene (tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin holding a medallion before her. Sigla: μ̅-θ̅ : Μ(ήτηρ) Θ(εοῦ). Circular inscription within a border of dots:

...ηθ,τσδουλ

[Κύριε βο]ήθ(ει) τῷ σῷ δούλ(ῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of four lines, a row of pellets above. Border of dots.


+λεον
ταˊσπαθˊ
τρατ.
..λιτ,

Λέοντ(ι) (πρωτο)σπαθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) στρα[ηγῷ Με]λιτ(ηνῆς)

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin holding a medallion before her. Sigla: μ̅-θ̅ : Μ(ήτηρ) Θ(εοῦ). Circular inscription within a border of dots:

...ηθ,τσδουλ

[Κύριε βο]ήθ(ει) τῷ σῷ δούλ(ῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of four lines, a row of pellets above. Border of dots.


+λεον
ταˊσπαθˊ
τρατ.
..λιτ,

Λέοντ(ι) (πρωτο)σπαθ(αρίῳ) (καὶ) στρα[ηγῷ Με]λιτ(ηνῆς)

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.2576
Diameter 21.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 4, no. 68.7.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Λέοντι πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ στραηγῷ Μελιτηνῆς.

Lord, help your servant Leo, protospatharios and strategos of Melitene.

Commentary

The owner cannot be identified with Leo Tornikios who was strategos of Melitene in the first half of the eleventh century, nor with Leo Lampros who was deposed from that position in 1043 (Skylitzes, 430).

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
  • L’organisation de la frontière orientale de Byzance aux Xe-XIe siècles et Le Taktikon de l’Escorial (Open in Zotero)
  • Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
  • Kappadokien (Kappadokia, Charsianon, Sebasteia und Lykandos) (Open in Zotero)
  • Eastern Turkey: An Architectural and Archaeological Survey (Open in Zotero)
  • Crown Lands and the Defence of Imperial Authority in the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Hierarchia Ecclesiastica Orientalis: Series episcoporum ecclesiarum christianarum orientalium (Open in Zotero)
  • Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis historiarum (Open in Zotero)