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Constantine protospatharios and strategos of Cappadocia (tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin. Sigla: μ̅ρ-θυ : Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Traces of a circular inscription within a border of dots:

οηθ

[Θεοτόκε β]οήθ[ει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ]

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, a decoration below. Border of dots.

+κν
.ταντ,α
..αθˋρS
..ρατ.
.αππα,

Κων[σ]ταντ(ίνῳ) (πρωτο)[σπ]αθ(α)ρ(ίῳ) (καὶ) [στ]ρατ(η)[γ(ῷ)] [Κ]αππα(δοκίας)

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin. Sigla: μ̅ρ-θυ : Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Traces of a circular inscription within a border of dots:

οηθ

[Θεοτόκε β]οήθ[ει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ]

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, a decoration below. Border of dots.

+κν
.ταντ,α
..αθˋρS
..ρατ.
.αππα,

Κων[σ]ταντ(ίνῳ) (πρωτο)[σπ]αθ(α)ρ(ίῳ) (καὶ) [στ]ρατ(η)[γ(ῷ)] [Κ]αππα(δοκίας)

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.3114
Diameter 28.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 4, no. 43.10.

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

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Κωνσταντίνῳ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ στρατηγῷ Καππαδοκίας.

Mother of God, help your servant Constantine, protospatharios and strategos of Cappadocia.

Commentary

We know of Constantine Maleinos, who was strategos of Cappadocia and became patrikios in the middle of the century. See Theophanes Continuatus, 479-80; Dagron-Mihaescu, 35; Canard, Hamdanides, 802; L. Petit, Vie et office de S. Michel Maléinos (Paris, 1903), 9.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
  • De Administrando Imperio (Open in Zotero)
  • Ermitažnye pečati Filareta Vrahamija (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)
  • Η Μικρά Ασία των θεμάτων. Ἐρευνες πάνω στην γεωγραφική φυσιογνωμία και προσωπογραφία των βυζαντινών θεμάτων της Μικράς Ασίας (Open in Zotero)
  • Theophanes Continuatus, Ioannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Traité sur la guérilla (De velitatione) de l’empereur Nicéphore Phocas (963-969) (Open in Zotero)
  • Histoire de la dynastie des H’amdanides de Jazîra et de Syrie (Open in Zotero)
  • Vie et office de Michel le Maléinote, suivis du Traité ascétique de Basile le Maléinote (Open in Zotero)